Appearance: I'm not entirely sure how old the absinthe I'm drinking is, but it's a fairly bland-looking fuille morte topaz border on a dark olive...TOO dark.

Louche: Pretty milk and dense when louched...turning an unpleasing color of scrambled eggs that have been cooked too long. There are some orange reflections, but it's not luminous enough to turn the glass into an appealing shade.

Aroma: Smells a bit more like star anise than anything else, although there's some backing musky fennel and some floral elements, along with a candied citrus essence.

Flavor/Mouthfeel: Anise-heavy, but I like the candied orange and lemon peel flavors. All the flavors that the absinthe should have are definitely present, but they're not anywhere near being as balanced as I would wish.

Finish: Not a bad finish, slightly perfumed and more citrus, and it's fresh and clean, but my tongue feels a bit abused from the anise onslaught that was so dominant in the flavor.

Overall: I like this one the best of the Paul Devoille absinthes that I have tasted, but I feel like it still could use a little more work.

Appearance: On the darker and heavier side of peridot. Clean, clear, and appearing dead leaf.

Louche: Way too thick. Unlike other star anise efforts that leave at least some translucence, this is straight up opaque. It looks like a monotone, thick, yellow milk.

Aroma: Star anise and coriander backed up by some wormwood. At first it doesn't seem too complex but with some searching you can find unbalanced citrus and fall spice notes digging under the repressive badine wall.

Flavor: Again, the star anise seems to block the complexity that this absinthe has. I hear soft screams of a sugary-citrus, baking spice, and a wormwood flavor behind the locked jail door.

Finish: The finish is appropriate in length but carries a slight astringency and leaves my tongue feeling like I ate too much candy. Not bad but not good.

Overall: This is drinkable but nothing I would go through any trouble to obtain. The star anise use is unbalanced and causes the drinker to put an effort into finding other flavors. The spice use seems interesting, I just wish it was more balanced.