Review Detail
4.5 20 0.5
Traditional Absinthe
I think I have a new favorite
(Updated: May 14, 2009)
Overall rating
4.6
Appearance
5.0
Louche
5.0
Aroma
4.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
5.0
Finish
5.0
Overall
4.0
Very cold water drip to about 3.5:1, no sugar
color: clear, perfect green, no hint of olive/brown. Seriously, all I could think while looking at the liquid in the reservoir of my glass is "perfect".
nose (neat): good anise, herbal, lightly spicy. Well balanced, anise a little forward. Very clean, no hint of anything musty/funky/whatever, just herbal and enticing.
louche: beautiful trails, good layering, a typically good louche. Color after water is a gorgeous creamy green, it holds its color very well.
nose: herbal, wormwoody, anise has moved back just a bit which surprises me, anise usually moves more forward with water. It's not a huge room-filler, but it's not hiding in the glass, either. Water is very cold, I suspect aroma will get bigger as it warms. But again, very clean, the absinthe herbs are all coming through beautifully with nothing in their way.
flavor: great creamy mouthfeel, excellent balance of spicy-bitter-anise. I was expecting a little heavier anise after initial nose, but I'm not disappointed, the flavor is fantastic. I have seen comments in the forum describing this absinthe as "dry", and I agree with that, but I was also getting a very nice sweet anise flavor mid-way, which I enjoy. Again I'm thinking "clean", nothing distracting from the herbs. This is one where the "alpine meadow" impression really comes through -- thoughts of herbs, cool, clear water, and crisp, fresh air are all conjured -- springtime in the Rockies, captured in a bottle.
finish: spicy, some light tongue numbing as appropriate, ending with nice bitterness. Finish is very long and all of the flavors hang around, great complexity.
overall: everything about this is a winner. The color is spectacular, both before and after water. The flavor and finish are top notch, and the only thing I could think would have improved the experience is if the aroma had jumped from the glass and wrapped around my head. Now I need to crack open the piggy bank and get a bottle of the Walton Waters ordered ...
color: clear, perfect green, no hint of olive/brown. Seriously, all I could think while looking at the liquid in the reservoir of my glass is "perfect".
nose (neat): good anise, herbal, lightly spicy. Well balanced, anise a little forward. Very clean, no hint of anything musty/funky/whatever, just herbal and enticing.
louche: beautiful trails, good layering, a typically good louche. Color after water is a gorgeous creamy green, it holds its color very well.
nose: herbal, wormwoody, anise has moved back just a bit which surprises me, anise usually moves more forward with water. It's not a huge room-filler, but it's not hiding in the glass, either. Water is very cold, I suspect aroma will get bigger as it warms. But again, very clean, the absinthe herbs are all coming through beautifully with nothing in their way.
flavor: great creamy mouthfeel, excellent balance of spicy-bitter-anise. I was expecting a little heavier anise after initial nose, but I'm not disappointed, the flavor is fantastic. I have seen comments in the forum describing this absinthe as "dry", and I agree with that, but I was also getting a very nice sweet anise flavor mid-way, which I enjoy. Again I'm thinking "clean", nothing distracting from the herbs. This is one where the "alpine meadow" impression really comes through -- thoughts of herbs, cool, clear water, and crisp, fresh air are all conjured -- springtime in the Rockies, captured in a bottle.
finish: spicy, some light tongue numbing as appropriate, ending with nice bitterness. Finish is very long and all of the flavors hang around, great complexity.
overall: everything about this is a winner. The color is spectacular, both before and after water. The flavor and finish are top notch, and the only thing I could think would have improved the experience is if the aroma had jumped from the glass and wrapped around my head. Now I need to crack open the piggy bank and get a bottle of the Walton Waters ordered ...
B