Mystique is one of the best absinthes I've tried to date. From the bottle, it pours a very pretty peridot green, clear and bright, with a rich element of gold in the green. The louche that follows is a beautiful jade, building gradually with all the expected visual, and ending with just the right degree of translucence.

Before water, the aroma is crisp and fresh, somewhat medicinal but not overwhelmingly so. After the louche forms, it opens to a lovely fresh herbal scent, with hints of spice floating on top. Although mild, the aroma is intriguing, with just the right balance of herbal and spicy notes. The flavor and finish meet the expectations raised by the aroma. The former is beautifully balanced: fresh, herbal but not grassy, and spicy without any of the distracting flavor spikes that sometime occur in other brands. Beneath it all runs a delicate bitterness, very subtle at first, but lingering into a long and very pleasing finish.

Perhaps the color before water could be a little more green, but I'll still give Mystique a five overall. Wonderful!