From tastings done over the course of the four months this bottle has been open, some with sugar, some without. All carafe pours.

Color: I really like the color of the Duplais; just a shade lighter and it would be a 5 for me.

Louche: I saw gradients, billowing, a well-defined line, though it all ended before 2:1. Still, a nice show while it lasted.

Aroma: All the familiar components are there. There is a freshness to it, kind of like the green fleshy stalk of a plant when it's still young, but it will soon become a more woody stem.

Flavor: I can objectively say that all the appropriate elements are here, but to my palate there is a sharpness I can't get past. These sharp edges need some polishing, even after four months of the bottle being open. It's as if the flavors are still not integrated together.

Finish: The sharpness carries over into the finish, which forces me to 3 the Duplais her, too.

Overall: This is an absinthe that has everything in the right place, but they could be more aesthetically pleasing. It's like a well-arranged living room but the color scheme is a little off for me.

(Incorrectly posted in the European version's section, moved here.)

Pre-louche: Proper, vibrant peridot. Brilliant color. Aroma is exactly what you'd expect a good absinthe to smell like with nothing strange lingering in the shadows.

Louched: Milky green. Aroma is not as aggressive as some absinthes - but is, again, proper and an expected aroma. I so wish the pre-louche aroma would carry over more strongly!!! Louche is thick and creamy. Taste is good - nice bitterness from the wormwood. A bit of bite from the alcohol (as others have noted). Definitely not as complex and herbal as others but still quite balanced and welcome.

Just very balanced, overall. Nothing to make it really stand out from others - but it is good, clean, natural, traditional, and authentic absinthe... and that is what really counts! Nice that this can be acquired in the United States - as there aren't a lot of European absinthes this way.

Bottle opened 1/09, review glasses louched 1/09.

Color: A very solid green, looks natural, not too deep, closer to emerald than olive. Clear and bright.

Louche: Excellent "oil trails" lead to a gradual clouding of the glass from the bottom, with a thin line of green at the top. Completely louched at just over 2:1. Color after louche is a marvelous olive green. I would've liked to see more roiled clouds than this produces, but it's impossible to fault the louche for that.

Aroma: Wormwood, a bit of mint, a bit of alcohol heat.

Flavor: I tried my Duplais Verte unsugared at first, and it was a bit too wormwood-forward for my palate. The bitterness isn't offensive, but it isn't as floral and welcoming as I prefer. Adding about a tablespoon (15mL) of simple syrup and watering to 3.5:1 helps considerably, but it still remains unbalanced. It's hard to discern the anise through the wormwood, though I do detect the hint of mint. It has great mouth-feel, quite creamy.

Finish: Long. Bitter, but in a pleasant way.

Overall: I'm disappointed in Duplais Verte, it's too wormwood-forward for my taste. It's obviously well made, but I'm just not a fan. I'll revisit the bottle every now and then to see how both it and I have changed, but for now, it sits at the back of the shelf.