40ml louched with 200ml chilled water, unsweetened for this review.

Color: It is perfectly clear pre louche. The color after louche is a fobby grey with nice overtones of blue and lavender. These overtones in the louche are what, to me, provide much of an absinthe's "mystique": an indeterminate billow of subdued color, coaxed from a perfectly clear liquid.

Louche: The louche forms quickly, but with some oil trails and interest. There is a clear layer at the top that is subsumed by the billowing louche from below.

Aroma: The aroma of the neat liquor is mild and warm. Anise is not overpowering, and well balanced. When louched, that warmth and mildness is broadened, the anise is not overpowering but "couched" in an herbal mist.

Flavor: The flavor of Kubler 53 (US Release) is well balanced with subtleties, tending towards sweetness. The anise is present in the nose with lifting the glass, and emerges nicely on the tongue when sipping, not overpowering. There is more sweetness than dryness throughout the sip, and the bitterness of the wormwood is present but not biting, "drying" just before the finish.

Finish: Finish is dry, with a fading anise sweetness. There is a bit of "soapiness" that is more apparent when unsweetened, and which is not apparent when sweetened. There is some mildness where the chilled water comes through more cleanly towards the middle of the finish, and then a nice woodworm astringence with anise and herbal atmosphere is left.

Overall: A mild, controlled and clean flavor throughout. Not aggressively sharp in any regard. Somewhat thin unsweetened, and so "gaps" are carried by sweetening, in the way the bottle suggests it should typically be prepared. A soothing elxir, as opposed to alcholically harsh or medicinal in the manner of the many of the US targeted absinthes to date, and a definite bargain in terms of quality vs. price.

Color: It's a blanche and it's perfectly clear.



Louche: Thick and opaque. Nice trails, nice layering but it builds too quickly.



Aroma: The fennel in Kubler is very forward and unmistakable. The fennel and anise are dominant. The wormwood is very subdued but if you really look for it it's there. I struggled with whether to grant this a 3 or a 4. I don't find it peculiar or unpleasant, but I do consider it unbalanced. I'll go with a 4 because while I don't find it interesting it certainly isn't incorrect or unpleasant.



Flavor: Pretty one dimensional. That anise and fennel overpower all else. It is clean and refreshing but a bit too sweet for my taste. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy it, but I couldn't drink too much of it at one time.



Finish: That creamy fennel comes out swinging in the finish and finally the wormwood makes it's presence known imparting a slight bitterness. All in all though not very complex and the duration isn't long.



Overall: This absinthe is all about the fennel. It's an herb I can discern quite easily due to chewing on it as a kid. I would find this product far more enjoyable if the wormwood profile was bumped up a bit and it wasn't as sweet. Still it's great to have a quality, traditional La Bleue on the U.S. market. The price point also makes it a good value - 1 ltr. for $60.

The Color is crystal clear, an easy 5.

The Louche is quite quick to form, I am assuming because of the lower proof. A fountain helps, but set that drip slow and don't blink.

The Aroma before water is clean, crisp, a bit alcoholic. After water it opened up a bit, not particularly complex.

The Flavor is nice, not too sweet. Not too complex, either. Not that that's a bad thing, this is a definite cold refresher on a summer day.

The Finish is pretty quick. Nice, but pretty quick.

Overall, I like this one. More so than I thought I would. It goes down easy and will definitely see me leaning toward the Blanches this summer. At the price it will definitely be an always-in-stock brand.

Color: As a blanche, it's hard to give too much detail about the color. It's clear and neutrally colored (no noticeable yellowness, etc.)

Louche: Louches fairly quickly with nice cloudy milk trails leading to a very opaque louche. Definitely a bit too thick, and it almost has a grainy appearance where it coats the glass.

Aroma: Not much to report here...very flat with a big kick of anise, a whisper of fennel, and not much else.

Flavor: Especially anise heavy, and maybe a but of a minty feeling...but there are no layers of flavors to experience. It has a hint of an unpleasant alcohol taste that is less like the flavor of high-proof absinthe, more akin to the flavor provided in my mid-shelf vodka days, but it's in no way overpowering or "raw". Very little (to almost no) wormwood to be found.

Finish: Not very lingering.

Overall: Mixed at a 1:3 ratio with no sugar, this absinthe is certainly decent, and what I would call an "everyday" type of absinthe. I've found it to be good for introducing people who may have never tasted absinthe before to see if they like the flavor. Where with some of the other absinthes I group into the mid-range category, I've considered going back to revisit them by purchasing another bottle, I don't see myself doing that with this one, as I don't feel there's much unique about it's character. That said, I'm not entirely sure I care for blanches in general. This is definitely a good choice if pickings are slim, but I would try to seek out more complex products, even if it requires spending a little more.

Color: Clear and without any hues. No sediment or anything else obscuring the glass.

Louche: Nice louche that starts right off the bat. Very thick when it is finished and fun to watch, but not anything amazing.

Aroma: Anise hits me and honestly not much else. Seems rather one dimensional in this area.

Flavor: Simple and anise heavy. A tad bit of alcohol heat remains even at higher ratios. An odd thing for something so low proof in the absinthe world. Not much going on here but not a bad flavor either.

Finish: Goes away really fast from what I've come to expect. No changing of flavors or anything but then again it really doesn't get a chance to.

Overall: Reminds me of an absinthe substitute really. Almost nothing other than the anise is really shown. It scored points for presentation but really fell behind where it counts; flavor. I'm docking an overall point to highlight this feeling. When first on the market it may have been impressive but new competition has shown where this one really stands. I'd honestly say skip Kubler, you're not missing much.