King of Spirits Gold - Reviewed by Experts and Consumers at The Wormwood Society

 
1.5
 
1.5 (3)
0

Product Details

Available in USA?
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Wormwood Society Editor Comments
As many educated consumers know, the above claims about thujone are verifiably false. Please proceed with caution when considering buying ANY product that advertizes high thujone content.

Editor reviews

2 reviews
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Never, ever, ever again.
Overall rating
 
1.5
Appearance
 
3.0
Louche
 
1.0
Aroma
 
2.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
 
1.0
Finish
 
1.0
Overall
 
1.0
It took me a long time to review this product, mainly due to the bad experience I remember from the first time I tried it.

Color: Straw yellow with hints of green.

Louche: No anise, no fennel, no louche.

Aroma: Not a whole lot to make out here aside from a faint weedy character with just a touch of earthy sweetness.

Taste: Totally unacceptable. Very harsh and botheringly acrid. It's so astringent and bitter that it makes you catch your breath. Lots of alcohol burn.

Finish: Alcohol heat and lingering harsh bitterness.

Overall: I'm not surprised that it's hard to finda lot of advertising for this product any more. As more and more people become educated about what absinthe is/should be, less and less are falling for the gimmicks that brands like this are pulling.
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User reviews

3 reviews
Overall rating
 
1.5
Appearance
 
2.7(3)
Louche
 
1.0(3)
Aroma
 
2.0(3)
Flavor / Mouthfeel
 
1.0(3)
Finish
 
1.0(3)
Overall
 
1.0(3)
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At Least They Didn't Name it Spirit of Kings...
(Updated: June 11, 2009)
Overall rating
 
1.2
Appearance
 
2.0
Louche
 
1.0
Aroma
 
1.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
 
1.0
Finish
 
1.0
Overall
 
1.0
COLOR BEFORE WATER
Extremely pale peridot green, with particulate matter in solution, but certainly natural looking enough.

LOUCHE ACTION
From the addition of the very first drop of water there was the noticeable beginning of swirling action that was trying to develop into something. The problem was that it went nowhere, with the prepared drink only showing the very slightest trace of a louche, and simply becoming an even paler shade of barely discernible peridot green. I gave it two points for the initial entertainment value.

COLOR AFTER WATER
An even more extremely pale shade of peridot green, and 98% translucent, aka basically clear, with just a tincture of color, and still natural looking, hence the two points.

AROMA
Little more than some alcohol, a miniscule trace of anise, and a little obviously macerated wormwood come through in the nose, neat. When diluted, this scent dissipated, and became barely detectable.

MOUTH-FEEL
Water (not even watery) about sums it up.

TASTE
A little perceptible anise, otherwise, an interminably long, harsh, and highly unpleasant taste, (and aftertaste) of mercilessly bitter, "herb store" wormwood.

OVERALL IMPRESSION
This is one sorry excuse for an alleged absinthe, or even absinth. As I recall, even the regular King of Spirits showed a little more character (although that actually made it a little more offensive). Mostly, this is one really bland drink, but what flavor is detectable is just plain crude, and awful. The hilariously absurd price point makes it even more egregiously rotten. The bottom line... this stuff makes Logan Fils seem like PF 1901, by comparison.

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Greatly Disappointing...
Overall rating
 
1.7
Appearance
 
3.0
Louche
 
1.0
Aroma
 
3.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
 
1.0
Finish
 
1.0
Overall
 
1.0
I'm sorry to say that this was the first "absinthe" I experienced. It almost turned me off to the art of absinthe altogether!

I'm glad I gave absinthe another chance with a Jade PF 1901.

The "king" was the most bitter concoction I've ever had the displeasure of experiencing.

I was completely ignorant to good absinthes when I was introduced this fluid, and was taken in by the hype, the marketing text, and at the time there were very few resources online for finding out more about these 'products'

The color was interesting; it doesn't appear to be artificial.

The louche looked good (at the time), and isn't horrible, but I've seen much finer louches since with other real absinthes.

The aroma is medicinal, with some hint of herbs and vegetation (mostly from the twigs and plant-matter at the bottom of the bottle)

The marketing text that states the "psychoactive" effects is enough to let you know this producer is ignorant (or hoping that you are...).

This "king of spirits" is to a good absinthe what the "King of Beers" (budwiser) is to a quality Draught, or Burger King is to a steak.

Avoid at all costs...
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What was I thinking?
Overall rating
 
1.5
Appearance
 
3.0
Louche
 
1.0
Aroma
 
2.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
 
1.0
Finish
 
1.0
Overall
 
1.0
Having tried and enjoyed immensely four authentic absinthes and two U.S. available substitute absinthes (Pernod and Absente), which were also enjoyable, curiousity got the better of me. I purchased a bottle of the King of Spirits Gold. The color is an unpleasant yellowish-green or greenish-yellow with plant matter in the bottom of the bottle. The louche is non-existent. Aroma? There is barely a hint of licorice. Taste? This has to be the most vile tasting alcoholic concoction I have ever tasted. It tastes like turpentine. As for finish it leaves a taste reminiscent of gasoline. Overall? STAY AWAY!! When I think of the other absinthes I could have purchased with the $225.00 I WASTED on this...stuff. I'm going to stand in the corner for a few hours.
JR
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