After reading some of the other reviews on the site, I was expecting this to be a lot worse, so I suppose I was pleasantly surprised. It did rank low across most categories, but I find it one of the better low end brands. The aroma is simple, but I found the taste/flavor to be pleasant (I really wanted to give flavor a 3.5). Whereas most brands have complex bouquets of flavor, Grande Absente is very two-dimensional with a mix of sweet and bitter. Having read about, but never tried, absinthe for nearly 10 years, this product looked, smelled and tasted exactly like I expected absinthe to taste. So, while the taste is not as interesting as a good absinthe, I did not find it as appalling as several of the other reviewers.



If you have more of a sweet tooth, this product might be acceptable to you. I intend to keep it stocked, in favor of Lucid, for the entry-level comparison brand.

the Color is lookin' pretty fake to me.

the Louche is there, but not especially intriguing. No opalescence here.

the Aroma is a bit Alcoholic, not a lot going on. After water it opens up a little bit. Faintly herbal, medicinal undertone. Weak.

the Flavor is a bit too sweet for me right off the bat. The more water is added, the more candylike it becomes. All the depth and complexity of a licorice jellybean..

the Finish is like having said jellybean in the back of my nose whilst all else but alcohol fades quickly.

Overall, I'd say it's not as bad as I've heard. On the other hand I wouldn't say this was good.

Color: From what I understand, the color is artificial, but it's also clear, and natural-looking could be debatable. Grande Absente isn't a bright unnatural-looking green that I've seen on higher rated absinthes, like Mansinthe or Duplais. I would put it closer to Eich, which received a '4.'

Louche: The louche was definitely present and had green and faint blue highlights. I don't know if it was the slow drip, sugar cube, or what-have-you, but the louche was interesting. It started out as a thin layer at the bottom, blossomed into a mushroom cloud effect, and then spread somewhat evenly throughout the rest of the glass. The only reason I didn't keep it at 4 is because the deeper green I usually see in the middle of my louches didn't stay, like in my Eich and Amer, making the consistency the same throughout the whole glass.

Flavor: On a regular "1 to 5" scale, I would give this a 3. However, sticking to the Score Sheet, it's unremarkable and I can taste the alcohol, which isn't any more offensive than a margarita with too much tequila.

Finish: Every average alcoholic beverage I've had has some air of alcohol to it, an acceptable taste making it no different than a Jim Beam and Jose Cuervo. I think if a person is willing to drink Jim Beam or Jose Cuervo then they might be willing to make an exception for Grande Absente as well.

Overall: Grande Absente, to me, represents a baseline for an average consumer. Unfortunately it isn't priced like an average absinthe. I put this in the cheap wine category - good enough for a last minute purchase.

Edit 12-26-2008:
I rescind my baseline comment. If this absinthe was priced like Budweiser (~20% lower than the competition) then I think my opinion would stand. However, with cheaper and better absinthes hitting the U.S. market, I'd recommend ignoring this.

Color- Even if this had been freshly colored, which the aroma will definitely tell you it's not, I would not have rated it a 5; too light and thin.



Louche- The best part, relatively speaking, of this absinthe; builds slowly from the bottom but quickly washes out and becomes weak.



Aroma- Before the addition of water... alcohol (like vodka); after the addition of water... cloying sweetness.



Flavor- Overly sweet, some light bitterness, but mainly just sickly sweet.



Finish- Better mouth-feel than I would expect but not great, some tongue numbing, the lasting taste is not good.



Overall- I would never pay money for this absinthe; in fact I would recommend that no one does.

Color - Atomic candy-apple green, like Pernod Anis, brighter than the original. Vivid yet spooky.



Louche - Not alot of action here, just seemed to cloud up. And yet, it was still what I would call a thin louche, that took along time to get there.



Aroma - Awful. Alcohol, followed by a little what, star anise maybe? Not at all candy-like or anything, just bad vodka-like.



Flavor - Cheap vodka mixed with a little good n'plenty. Maybe I haven't enough bad absinthe, but this was the worst I've ever tasted.



Finish - Some bitterness stays with you, more so than in the original Absente, of course.



Overall, this is the most awful tasting thing I've ever had the misfortune of drinking. Holds the distinction of being the first absinthe I've ever sinked.