4/8/12

Appearance: The color is a wonderful olive tone, very natural looking. It may have been closer to a peridot hue in 2010 when this was bottled and purchased, but that is unknown at this point.

Louche: Very milky and cloudy. This builds up quickly when water is added, likely due to a large anise presence. A lack of a dazzling opalescence keeps this from a higher score.

Aroma: A decadent array of anise, powdered sugar, cola, mint and citrus aspects.

Flavor: Incredible, with very sweet anise, and a nice hint of bitter wormwood springs forth as it coats the mouth. Complex subtleties present include fennel, spicy pepper, lemon mint candy, and some sort of earthiness as wel.

Finish: The somewhat soft initial impression becomes warming and drying on the way down. Again some "ricola' candy type of flavor jumps out. A light pull on the palate certainly leaves me wanting more!

Overall: The best absinthe I've had in a while, after a string of unfulfilled expectations. A little of everything I love about absinthe all in one concoction!

Edited in Feb 2013, after getting halfway through this newer, second bottle.

Appearance: A clear and natural blend of light emerald with a touch of yellow/amber.

Louche: Quick to develop, thick and cloudy. If you take it really slow, it puts on a nice display of smoke and clouds. The final result is thick and attractive. I love thicker louches, and don't feel they should be penalized if attractive.

Aroma: Very nice. Delicate, fresh and clean. It promises lots of anise, light florals,
and hints of citrus.

Flavor: Anise-forward, and packed with flavor. It is powerful, yet has a dessert-like personality. There is a strong presence of citrus, gentle spices, and the wormwood softly pats you on the back behind the scenes. If you enjoy anise-forward absinthes, you'll likely enjoy this quite a bit. There is a lot going on here, plenty of herbal and floral touches.

Finish: A strong build of spice and lemon. The citrus hangs in there forever. Butterfly's mouthfeel is rich and thick, with a pleasant tingle and pull.

Overall, it is an interesting absinthe. It is sweet, and powerful, yet for me, feminine. I enjoy it most with no sugar at 4:1 or thereabouts. It is due to be imported to the USA soon, as I understand. I am happy about this!

I have been following the development of Butterfly since the time its creator called it simply AA-American absinthe.

In comparison with the early prototypes and the unofficial run, the fully-fledged Butterfly is a remarkable journey to the times of America, Europe when the clock of the ban was still silent.

Absinthe yields a perfect olive green, dark tourmaline colour, I hearsay in some people’s bottles it went feuille morte what speaks more in favour of the right colouration.

The louche is a tad thicker than I have desired from the prototypes (they had a lighter louche), nevertheless here we can see the winning hand of Claude-Alain.

Aroma reveals the complexity of a verte, the most dominant notes are that of crisp zests of citrus, mellow licorice, a slight touch of peppermint and other unusual flavours.

They trap the sipper just in the middle of tasting. Flavour of that absinthe is not traditional and it has never intended to be. It was made having in mind the American palate preferring sweeter, candier and robust spicy notes. And that intention has been realised to the fullest.

Due to the prominence of American, Bostonian character of the spirit, the wormwoodiness is slightly less accentuated in the finish.

Nevertheless, it is a truly American absinthe made with skills and artistry, if coming from Switzerland.

Haven’t had the other of the newer European offerings, but I am still sure they won’t dethronize Butterfly.