Color: A pale, pale forest green. Very clear.

Louche: Really nice swirling oils, slowly building thicker and more opaque from the bottom of the glass. Once louched, it's a luminous moonlight green, with fiery oranges. Absolutely lovely.

Aroma: I'm first hit with sugar, anise and alcohol...a hint of the outdoors after rain. Sweet and bright, then wormwood and lemon balm.

Flavor: Feels very icy and silky, and has many light and soft flavors that blend together wonderfully, along with what I can only describe as an essence of "bayou" that is in no way bothersome.

Finish: Warm and spiced, happy and tingly, with a chalky sugar taste/feel.

Overall: This absinthe feels a lot less like something that is just drank, and more of an experience to drink. I like absinthes that attempt to do something different while still remaining clearly absinthe-flavored, and I feel this absinthe has done that well, without the uniqueness of it being too distracting. I greatly enjoy this absinthe.

Color was a faint light emerald green, with the slightest suggestion of a blue in the mix. Gem-like sparkles in the facets of my pontarlier glass. After adding the water to the level I enjoy this at, it was a tad thinner than I prefer however.

Louche was slow forming, dramatic thick trails turning to puffs of smoke. Thick, distinct layering with the tiniest of smoky tendrils rolling around under the clear layer. Lovely shade of light green with nice light-play refraction and copper highlights. This louche was formed with a very very thin steady stream of ice cold water.

The aroma was inviting and interesting. It has the definite "Jade" character... just a bit of earthiness in the mix. Flavor... smooth and balanced, well thought out and complex. It is a milder profile than the other Jades, and a bit on the thin side for my tastes. Still, it works as a concept, and is enjoyable. There's a cooking spice vibe that I really warmed up to; I can see myself drinking this on a cold winter night by the fire...if only I had a fireplace!

Finish was layered and interesting. A nice light pinch and mild bitter with a lingering light citrus and white pepper. The finish is one of this absinthe's strengths.

For me, it's a little on the light side, As I prefer a more robust personality. It is refreshing and interesting however, and I suspect some will find this to be their favorite Jade.

A clear green that also has a bluish tinge. Not as vivid as the Edouard, it is a nice, rich color. Louche is slow and steady, a good louche, but not excellent. After water the louche has a light, green with a blue tint. Pre loache it has a interesting and different nose, almost medicinal, but with shades of spice. Louched-very similar to the pre loache except that it opens up nicely with some herbal tones and becomes more herbal. The mouth feel is pronounced but not as rich as the other Jades. Still, a nice body, more silky than velvety. The taste has a fore of fennel, and a decent helping of anise, but the wormwood is much more in the background than in the other Jades. A very unique flavor. This absinthe is well crafted, and deserves recognition for originality. Still not my favorite of the Jades. I would venture to say that it is a taste that some will enjoy and others not.

This generously provided sample was prepared without sugar, and with a slow, icy drip.

Aroma pre-louche: Very sweet, candy-like smell. No real hint of anything else but anise here. Very mouthwatering. In the glass the almost sickly-sweet aroma broadens and becomes very delicate and more floral.

Color: In the glass, the Nouvelle Orleans is very light. There is no rich, peridot coloration or even olive color present. It is crystal clear, but lacking in impressiveness.

Louche: Very pretty louche. The watery trails move quickly as the billowy opalescence takes a long time to settle in. I imagined the louche would be thin for some reason, but this is not the case. It is thick and inviting. A clear demarcation between alcohol and the louched portion of the drink hangs around for some time, and the smell coming out of the glass is as sweet as it was when sniffed from the bottle. I can't help but think this absinthe will be very sweet. It finishes a very pale green.

Flavor: Right off the bat, not the flavor I was expecting due to its intensely sweet aroma. At first I was put off because to me this absinthe is not anise first and other flavors second, but a more woody flavored offering. There is a nice interaction between the wormwood and other herbs that round out the flavor and really casing me to wrack my brain trying to figure it out.

Overall: I think this absinthe is a challenge. Not in a bad way, just that it might not be a great absinthe for beginners. As with most of the higher quality absinthe I try, I don't know if sugar would be appropriate, at least for my palate. What on the first sip pushed me back I now find invites me further into this drink's mystery. Definitely good, but definitely not mundane. I like this absinthe quite a lot. Very different from the PF 1901.

Color: A bright, attractive peridot green. A slight blue tinge appears when louched.



Louche: Pretty thick and opaque. Attractive. I wouldn't say it gets there too quick by any means but it could build slower.



Aroma: Very complex and interesting. There are so many things going on in there it's hard to isolate them. It has a noticeable fragrant wormwood presence along with of course the anise. Right up there along with them are unique notes I struggle to put a finger on. I think I can detect sea salt and a mustard-like tang in there, along with other spices reminiscent of a Christmas ale (I'm not the only one to draw this comparison). Not sure I'd call it room filling (it may depend on the size of the room), but you can be several feet away and still take it all in. Extremely delightful.



Flavor: Naturally everything I spoke of regarding the aroma is reflected in the flavor. It's very complex while balanced. Nothing overpowers the other allowing the wide variety of unique characteristics to take their turn on your taste buds. The wormwood presence is forward. Herbaceous, earthy and spicy. Again I'm getting that mustard tang and the Christmas spice, though they are more subdued in the palate than they are on the nose. Delicious.



Finish: Long and satisfying.



Overall: My favorite Jade and one of my favorite absinthe's period. This is something I'd like to have on hand at all times. It is very idiosyncratic and won't appeal to everybody, but to those it does appeal to it can become quite an addicting beverage.