Delaware Phoenix "Meadow Of Love" Absinthe Superieure - Reviewed by Experts and Consumers at The Wormwood Society
Product Details
Available in USA?
Style/Color
Degrees ABV (% alcohol)
Year of Make (if known)
Country of Origin
Distillery
Editor reviews
Wonderful!
Overall rating
4.5
Appearance
5.0
Louche
5.0
Aroma
4.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
5.0
Finish
4.0
Overall
4.0
After having been drinking this absinthe for quite a long time, I just now realized that I hadn't yet posted my review!
Color: A wonderful, light peridot. Bright and attractive. Age has mellowed the color a bit, but not detrimentally so.
Louche: An absolute pleasure to watch. Wonderful layering that builds into a light green finished product with white and baby blue hues.
Aroma: Both herbal and flowery with well layered hints of the holy trinity. Extremely inviting.
Flavor: Great balance of sweet, earthy, minty and dry from the anise, fennel and wormwood. Hints of the flowery, minerally flavor of voilette plays well with a touch of citrus. Mighty tasty.
Finish: Fantastic. I just wish it would last a tad bit longer.
Overall: A top quality absinthe. You really can't get much better than this. A must for any collection.
Color: A wonderful, light peridot. Bright and attractive. Age has mellowed the color a bit, but not detrimentally so.
Louche: An absolute pleasure to watch. Wonderful layering that builds into a light green finished product with white and baby blue hues.
Aroma: Both herbal and flowery with well layered hints of the holy trinity. Extremely inviting.
Flavor: Great balance of sweet, earthy, minty and dry from the anise, fennel and wormwood. Hints of the flowery, minerally flavor of voilette plays well with a touch of citrus. Mighty tasty.
Finish: Fantastic. I just wish it would last a tad bit longer.
Overall: A top quality absinthe. You really can't get much better than this. A must for any collection.
Incredible
(Updated: June 11, 2011)
Overall rating
4.8
Appearance
5.0
Louche
5.0
Aroma
4.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
5.0
Finish
5.0
Overall
5.0
6/10/11 Revisit
Since Walton Waters has noticeably improved after sitting in the bottle for two years I wanted to see what had happened with Meadow of Love.
The surprising thing is not much has changed and the little that has is for the better. The colour has gone from perfect peridot to an elegantly aged gold while the louche is unchanged. It even somehow still has a greenish tint not present when poured neat. The aroma is less floral and more honeyed, completely blowing VDT blanches (whose aromas I tend to really love even if they taste boring) out of the water. The flavour has always been balanced but is now very mellow and rounded. For a while about a year ago I noticed that the wormwood bitterness had gotten out of line and was a bit too strong but it's perfect again. Rather than crisp the mouth feel is creamy and mouth-coating but not oily or buttery. The finish is unchanged. I had forgotten just how amazing this absinthe is.
It's difficult to restrain myself from changing the scores to all 5's, based on the criteria. However I like to assume that no matter how good things are they can theoretically be improved upon, even if I cannot imagine how. The aroma will take the scoring hit, based on the fact that its superb balance robs it of some complexity, so it loses a point for what is essentially a positive feature. Hardly fair, but there it is.
Despite some very strong contenders this is still the best modern commercial absinthe I've had. It's simply unbelievable.
Original review:
Bright, clear, peridot green before louche. Fantastic! Aroma is incredibly floral, and reminds me of Val-de-Travers blanches. Wormwood galore, with a sweet anise layer underneath. Louche action is nothing short of magnificent. It begins at the bottom, rolling back and forth, building layer upon layer, and looking near the end like cumulus clouds with little, puffy tops before turning completely stratus. After louche the colour is nearly white, with the faintest bit of yellow and green. Pretty thick. The aroma is powdery, still with the dense wormwood presence. The other herbs are so balanced they're almost too tangled to pull apart.
Flavour is the pinnacle of balance. Nothing overwhelms. Sweet with a salival gland-activating bite. Wormwood becomes pretty dominant in the lingering finish, which transitions to fennel and then anise before it finally fades. The mouth-feel is incredibly soft, mellow, and creamy. If Walton Waters is an entree then this is dessert. It's everything an absinthe should be.
This drink in my glass is my favourite modern commerical absinthe. Man, I could drink this forever. I decided to wait until I'd had a few glasses to review it so that I could see if the passion would burn brightly and then fade. It's still quite hot.
Since Walton Waters has noticeably improved after sitting in the bottle for two years I wanted to see what had happened with Meadow of Love.
The surprising thing is not much has changed and the little that has is for the better. The colour has gone from perfect peridot to an elegantly aged gold while the louche is unchanged. It even somehow still has a greenish tint not present when poured neat. The aroma is less floral and more honeyed, completely blowing VDT blanches (whose aromas I tend to really love even if they taste boring) out of the water. The flavour has always been balanced but is now very mellow and rounded. For a while about a year ago I noticed that the wormwood bitterness had gotten out of line and was a bit too strong but it's perfect again. Rather than crisp the mouth feel is creamy and mouth-coating but not oily or buttery. The finish is unchanged. I had forgotten just how amazing this absinthe is.
It's difficult to restrain myself from changing the scores to all 5's, based on the criteria. However I like to assume that no matter how good things are they can theoretically be improved upon, even if I cannot imagine how. The aroma will take the scoring hit, based on the fact that its superb balance robs it of some complexity, so it loses a point for what is essentially a positive feature. Hardly fair, but there it is.
Despite some very strong contenders this is still the best modern commercial absinthe I've had. It's simply unbelievable.
Original review:
Bright, clear, peridot green before louche. Fantastic! Aroma is incredibly floral, and reminds me of Val-de-Travers blanches. Wormwood galore, with a sweet anise layer underneath. Louche action is nothing short of magnificent. It begins at the bottom, rolling back and forth, building layer upon layer, and looking near the end like cumulus clouds with little, puffy tops before turning completely stratus. After louche the colour is nearly white, with the faintest bit of yellow and green. Pretty thick. The aroma is powdery, still with the dense wormwood presence. The other herbs are so balanced they're almost too tangled to pull apart.
Flavour is the pinnacle of balance. Nothing overwhelms. Sweet with a salival gland-activating bite. Wormwood becomes pretty dominant in the lingering finish, which transitions to fennel and then anise before it finally fades. The mouth-feel is incredibly soft, mellow, and creamy. If Walton Waters is an entree then this is dessert. It's everything an absinthe should be.
This drink in my glass is my favourite modern commerical absinthe. Man, I could drink this forever. I decided to wait until I'd had a few glasses to review it so that I could see if the passion would burn brightly and then fade. It's still quite hot.
A
Respect For Tradition, Spirited Creativity
(Updated: June 19, 2012)
Overall rating
4.5
Appearance
4.0
Louche
4.0
Aroma
5.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
5.0
Finish
5.0
Overall
4.0
Color
Unlouched, light medium peridot. Crystal clarity in the dose, the bottles have the slightest "silty" sediment on the bottom.
The color was an absolutely beautiful light medium green on arrival, but I made the mistake of leaving these out on my kitchen counter for one week. Even though they were not in direct sunlight, that room gets a lot of ambient light, just enough to push the DPs to a much more amber or gold coloration. They were both very organic greens when they arrived. So be careful with these. I am going to buy another pair and bag them immediately when they arrive.
Louched, lighter golden-yellow green with bluish white at the edges and meniscus. A slight glow of orange/rose at the bottom. Though light, very good vibrancy to the colors.
Louche
Nice thick rolling cascades, rather than trails, with great refractions. Cloudiness quickly begins to build in a very pretty way and takes over the drink at about 1.2/1. While it's building, there's a lovely orange/rose glow to it. Nice! At 1.2/1, there is a thick green line left, and louche really thickens up. The line gradually diminishes and disappears at 2/1, and then it takes a dilution of about 4/1 to regain some translucence.
Aroma
An initial savory, herbal, floral character driven by all the "green" and "tan" tones, as opposed to its sibling, Walton Waters, which is much more anise/fennel driven. Definitely more perceivable hyssop, and boy, does that turn me on! The anise/fennel duo is present, of course, but this time singing backup. Nothing "off" in the aroma, at all. As it warms, it's all wormwood, pontica, hyssop, flowers up front. Really clean, fresh, immediate. Just lovely.
Flavor
First and foremost, let's talk mouthfeel. Absolutely one of the most interesting I have experienced. There is definitely a nice roundness and creaminess from the anise/fennel and the fruity wormwood, but it is juxtaposed against a spice, florality, and powderiness that collectively seem to pull in the opposite direction. Not subtle, but also not ham handed, it is obvious, and combined with the myriad flavor details, comes as close to a pleasure/pain kind of sensation I have ever experienced in an absinthe. It's hot! Complex and detailed, as with its sibling W.W., ingredients all seem to be of the highest quality.
Finish
Starts with a really measured fade of all the above. There's a fine, tingly, subtle burst of spice, and that "baby powder" thing again in a refined, non-drying way. Softly bitter wormwood takes over to bring this all home. This finish makes me want to drink the whole bottle.
Overall
Wow! As with the W.W., very fresh, very high quality ingredients. Very balanced, very precise, very impressive. This really blows me away! Hip, contemporary, creative, respectful of tradition, well-executed, and very artistic. How did she get there so fast? Another thing that astounds me is how well these drink, knowing that they are practically being made one day and driven to the retailer the next. Aged "in the car"! I wonder what we're in for when these can get sufficient rest? And you guys who are currently duking it out over a definition... be careful. I'm guessing this is just the beginning of the creative output of this distillery, and I wouldn't want to quash that kind of spirit.
Done with a 1 ounce dose, diluted 3.5/1, 4/1, and 4.2/1 and no sugar.
Meadow Of Love 5/13/09, 5/16/09, 5/17/09.
All evaluations had consistent notes.
Unlouched, light medium peridot. Crystal clarity in the dose, the bottles have the slightest "silty" sediment on the bottom.
The color was an absolutely beautiful light medium green on arrival, but I made the mistake of leaving these out on my kitchen counter for one week. Even though they were not in direct sunlight, that room gets a lot of ambient light, just enough to push the DPs to a much more amber or gold coloration. They were both very organic greens when they arrived. So be careful with these. I am going to buy another pair and bag them immediately when they arrive.
Louched, lighter golden-yellow green with bluish white at the edges and meniscus. A slight glow of orange/rose at the bottom. Though light, very good vibrancy to the colors.
Louche
Nice thick rolling cascades, rather than trails, with great refractions. Cloudiness quickly begins to build in a very pretty way and takes over the drink at about 1.2/1. While it's building, there's a lovely orange/rose glow to it. Nice! At 1.2/1, there is a thick green line left, and louche really thickens up. The line gradually diminishes and disappears at 2/1, and then it takes a dilution of about 4/1 to regain some translucence.
Aroma
An initial savory, herbal, floral character driven by all the "green" and "tan" tones, as opposed to its sibling, Walton Waters, which is much more anise/fennel driven. Definitely more perceivable hyssop, and boy, does that turn me on! The anise/fennel duo is present, of course, but this time singing backup. Nothing "off" in the aroma, at all. As it warms, it's all wormwood, pontica, hyssop, flowers up front. Really clean, fresh, immediate. Just lovely.
Flavor
First and foremost, let's talk mouthfeel. Absolutely one of the most interesting I have experienced. There is definitely a nice roundness and creaminess from the anise/fennel and the fruity wormwood, but it is juxtaposed against a spice, florality, and powderiness that collectively seem to pull in the opposite direction. Not subtle, but also not ham handed, it is obvious, and combined with the myriad flavor details, comes as close to a pleasure/pain kind of sensation I have ever experienced in an absinthe. It's hot! Complex and detailed, as with its sibling W.W., ingredients all seem to be of the highest quality.
Finish
Starts with a really measured fade of all the above. There's a fine, tingly, subtle burst of spice, and that "baby powder" thing again in a refined, non-drying way. Softly bitter wormwood takes over to bring this all home. This finish makes me want to drink the whole bottle.
Overall
Wow! As with the W.W., very fresh, very high quality ingredients. Very balanced, very precise, very impressive. This really blows me away! Hip, contemporary, creative, respectful of tradition, well-executed, and very artistic. How did she get there so fast? Another thing that astounds me is how well these drink, knowing that they are practically being made one day and driven to the retailer the next. Aged "in the car"! I wonder what we're in for when these can get sufficient rest? And you guys who are currently duking it out over a definition... be careful. I'm guessing this is just the beginning of the creative output of this distillery, and I wouldn't want to quash that kind of spirit.
Done with a 1 ounce dose, diluted 3.5/1, 4/1, and 4.2/1 and no sugar.
Meadow Of Love 5/13/09, 5/16/09, 5/17/09.
All evaluations had consistent notes.
M
User reviews
20 reviews
Overall rating
4.5
Appearance
4.3(20)
Louche
4.7(20)
Aroma
4.3(20)
Flavor / Mouthfeel
4.7(20)
Finish
4.6(20)
Overall
4.6(20)
as good as it gets
Overall rating
4.8
Appearance
5.0
Louche
5.0
Aroma
4.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
5.0
Finish
5.0
Overall
5.0
the appearance is just fine. kind of a yellowed green. very natural looking.
louche- perfect, to my eye. i like the way it looks while it's louching, one of those complex louches if you drip the water at the right speed, with the swirling layers etc. nice milky color afterwards.
aroma- i gave this a 4 because while it smells nice, nothing about the aroma really jumps out at me. its just that kind of vegetal smell that many absinthes have. no fruity scents or anything like that, or any other kind of unusual complex things. it does smell like quality. similar to the jades i've had.
flavor- i think for me i really need lower water to absinthe ratios to get the flavor to really have some bite. maybe 2.5 to 1 to 3 to 1. around there i think it's terrific. really love the lemon balm which you can slightly detect in the aroma but it definitely lends to the flavor profile. just a lot of depth but it perfectly harmonizes and packs a real punch.
finish- perfect. the wormwood just makes my mouth water and makes me want more. incredible stuff.
overall- really recommend you test how low you can go with the water with this one so you can really get smacked in the face with the flavor. in some cases adding more water reveals more, but i feel my best experiences with this absinthe have always been when mixing 'stiffer' drinks.
louche- perfect, to my eye. i like the way it looks while it's louching, one of those complex louches if you drip the water at the right speed, with the swirling layers etc. nice milky color afterwards.
aroma- i gave this a 4 because while it smells nice, nothing about the aroma really jumps out at me. its just that kind of vegetal smell that many absinthes have. no fruity scents or anything like that, or any other kind of unusual complex things. it does smell like quality. similar to the jades i've had.
flavor- i think for me i really need lower water to absinthe ratios to get the flavor to really have some bite. maybe 2.5 to 1 to 3 to 1. around there i think it's terrific. really love the lemon balm which you can slightly detect in the aroma but it definitely lends to the flavor profile. just a lot of depth but it perfectly harmonizes and packs a real punch.
finish- perfect. the wormwood just makes my mouth water and makes me want more. incredible stuff.
overall- really recommend you test how low you can go with the water with this one so you can really get smacked in the face with the flavor. in some cases adding more water reveals more, but i feel my best experiences with this absinthe have always been when mixing 'stiffer' drinks.
M
Meadow of Deliciousness
(Updated: October 31, 2014)
Overall rating
4.0
Appearance
3.5
Louche
4.0
Aroma
4.5
Flavor / Mouthfeel
4.0
Finish
4.0
Overall
4.0
My appreciation for this closely matches that of another Delaware Phoenix absinthe - Walton Waters. I'm always blown away by how flavorful and balanced MoL is. It's one of those absinthes which I keep to the back of my stash so as to prolong its stay in my cupboard. Everything about it is quite correct; from the louche, to the flavours and aroma. Really quite excellent.
Overall one of my absolute favorites for just how creamy and simply delicious it is!
Overall one of my absolute favorites for just how creamy and simply delicious it is!
J
Delicious garden.
Overall rating
4.4
Appearance
3.5
Louche
4.0
Aroma
4.5
Flavor / Mouthfeel
5.0
Finish
5.0
Overall
4.5
Appearance: A fairly light green once it's in the glass, but it's a decently old sample. Once I get a new bottle I may adjust for this.
Louche: Pale, pale green with some almost buttery golds and hints of blues. This is just the right thickness.
Aroma: Floral and sweet, while being fresh, cool, and fragrant. VERY inviting.
Flavor: Cool and smooth, with a "petal"-like taste. Also reminiscent of fresh cut herbs; green and spicy.
Finish: There's a lovely mouth-numbing effect and the diminishing flavors are extremely refreshing.
Overall: This is a really excellent, impressive absinthe.
Louche: Pale, pale green with some almost buttery golds and hints of blues. This is just the right thickness.
Aroma: Floral and sweet, while being fresh, cool, and fragrant. VERY inviting.
Flavor: Cool and smooth, with a "petal"-like taste. Also reminiscent of fresh cut herbs; green and spicy.
Finish: There's a lovely mouth-numbing effect and the diminishing flavors are extremely refreshing.
Overall: This is a really excellent, impressive absinthe.
A
Impressive
(Updated: May 18, 2012)
Overall rating
4.3
Appearance
3.0
Louche
4.5
Aroma
5.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
5.0
Finish
4.0
Overall
4.0
Appearance: A thin peridot green that is slightly on the yellower side. I should note that the sample I am reviewing is 3 years old by now.
Louche: Near perfect opalesque louche. A tad thick but it also display a myriad of beautiful hues much like a good Blanche.
Aroma: This is heavy on the trinity of herbs but also well balanced in the background with a decent citrus note a spice harmony. This really just makes me want to stop smelling and take a drink right away.
Flavor: At first it is wormwood forward and surprisingly floral. This gives way to a nice balance of the herbs and flavors mentioned above all on stage at the same time. The texture is creamy and just slightly sticky. The end result is a masterful play with a wonderful cast of characters and quality execution.
Finish: The finish is strong with the floral notes coming out once again and perfuming the mouth. The flavor otherwise stays the same and not too terribly interesting, but I am glad that the finish is strong instead of a weak lingering.
Overall: A very well structured and balanced absinthe. There is a complexity here reaching a carefully balanced harmony where all the parts work together amazingly well. This is unlike so many other top-tier absinthes that I have tried where the complex flavors all seem to compete instead of work together. The initial presentation and finish are the only points where I could see much a flaw, but those are more than worth it for such a great flavor.
Louche: Near perfect opalesque louche. A tad thick but it also display a myriad of beautiful hues much like a good Blanche.
Aroma: This is heavy on the trinity of herbs but also well balanced in the background with a decent citrus note a spice harmony. This really just makes me want to stop smelling and take a drink right away.
Flavor: At first it is wormwood forward and surprisingly floral. This gives way to a nice balance of the herbs and flavors mentioned above all on stage at the same time. The texture is creamy and just slightly sticky. The end result is a masterful play with a wonderful cast of characters and quality execution.
Finish: The finish is strong with the floral notes coming out once again and perfuming the mouth. The flavor otherwise stays the same and not too terribly interesting, but I am glad that the finish is strong instead of a weak lingering.
Overall: A very well structured and balanced absinthe. There is a complexity here reaching a carefully balanced harmony where all the parts work together amazingly well. This is unlike so many other top-tier absinthes that I have tried where the complex flavors all seem to compete instead of work together. The initial presentation and finish are the only points where I could see much a flaw, but those are more than worth it for such a great flavor.
E
Lost in the Meadow of Love!
(Updated: May 27, 2012)
Overall rating
4.8
Appearance
4.5
Louche
5.0
Aroma
4.5
Flavor / Mouthfeel
5.0
Finish
5.0
Overall
5.0
What a treat! Meadow of Love instantly became my favorite absinthe at the first sip! Meadow of Love is an overwhelmingly (in a good way) fragrant and aromatic absinthe, that has a wonderfully blended mix of classic absinthe herbs that will explode in your mouth, leaving you gagging for more! I really can't express how much I love this absinthe. Meadow of Love was docked .5 for appearance because it was delivered to us, still a lovely verte absinthe, but had maybe had too much sun exposure because it was slightly amber. I also gave it a .5 dock on aroma, only because the aroma doesn't do the flavor justice. Fennel overpowers the aroma, but tasting the absinthe there is such an amazing balance of all the herbs and fennel definitely isn't the overpowering flavor. Not only is this absinthe at the top of my list, but it comes from a small distillery in upstate New York, Cheryl Lins distiller, and sipping on this absinthe gives you the feel that you are sipping it with Cheryl herself. Meadow of Love is a MUST try for any absinthe connoisseur.
Updated 27 May 2012 ---
Appearance (5) : Previously a 4.5, I changed this to a 5 after recieving a BEAUTIFUL green glowing bottle of Meadow of Love. Absolutely the most inviting looking bottle out there, but careful the clear glass lets the color fade really quickly.
Louche (5) : Outstanding, beautiful, thick and glowing. Magical.
Aroma (4.5) : This is now the only non 5 star rating I give meadow of love, and only because it just doesn't do the incredible and dynamic flavor justice.
Flavor / Mouthfeel (5) : Flavor is indescribably delicious, and so well balanced. Mouth is delightfully numb, but just enough so that you can still enjoy the complex and complimentary flavors.
Finish (5) : All the best flavors remain on your tongue and you get such a refreshing cool numbing effect for a few minutes after each sip. It is really amazing.
Overall (5) : Still my favorite absinthe. The flavors are incredibly satisfying and there isn't a single quality about great absinthe that is missing, or lacking here. 5 stars!!
Updated 27 May 2012 ---
Appearance (5) : Previously a 4.5, I changed this to a 5 after recieving a BEAUTIFUL green glowing bottle of Meadow of Love. Absolutely the most inviting looking bottle out there, but careful the clear glass lets the color fade really quickly.
Louche (5) : Outstanding, beautiful, thick and glowing. Magical.
Aroma (4.5) : This is now the only non 5 star rating I give meadow of love, and only because it just doesn't do the incredible and dynamic flavor justice.
Flavor / Mouthfeel (5) : Flavor is indescribably delicious, and so well balanced. Mouth is delightfully numb, but just enough so that you can still enjoy the complex and complimentary flavors.
Finish (5) : All the best flavors remain on your tongue and you get such a refreshing cool numbing effect for a few minutes after each sip. It is really amazing.
Overall (5) : Still my favorite absinthe. The flavors are incredibly satisfying and there isn't a single quality about great absinthe that is missing, or lacking here. 5 stars!!
D