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.

as color goes, well.... its clear. what more to say?



the louche was as expected from any real absinthe, but it was definitly fast. i suppost that could be a good thing however.



the aroma was very nice, not too much but definitly there. could possibly be a little stronger.



now for flavor. this is a tricky one. i found thie flavor somewhat different, but very good. on one hand there was a bit too much and it was almost overpowering. but on the other hand, i liked it, so it must be fine.



the finish was just right if you ask me. im not too fond of any drink that leaves you with the taste of it in your mouth the rest of the night. this was perfect, lasting maybe 30 sec or so after each sip. i enjoyed it.



this was my first blanche. i definitly enjoyed it, however it is a bit strong when mixed 3:1, almost overly strong. but at 5:1 its perfect.

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.

This is my second absinthe and first blanche, opened two months ago.

Color: Clear. A blanche is a blanche is a blanche.

Louche: With a carafe of ice water and the steadiest of hands, the louche happens too rapidly for my taste. I could see a fountain allowing for a far more attractive louche, though without opals or pearls.

Aroma: Crisp and clear, making for a refreshing summer drink. The anise is far forward, as others have noted.

Flavor: With a half of a sugar cube, this is a treat! The forward anise is a pleasant flavor to play with on the tongue. After the two months of being open, the alcohol kick has mellowed and a subtle minty bitterness has come forward, balancing out the anise very nicely. Since these are the two main flavors I can detect, I would presume the minty bitterness to be wormwood. Note: My palate is still new to absinthe (still having difficulty discerning fennel), and is generally unaccustomed to bitterness, which leads me to sugar this brand.

Finish: It's over far too soon. There is a slight creaminess which only makes me wish it had more. The anise aftertaste is pleasant, and makes me want another sip.

Overall: The simple, straightforward aroma and flavor of Kubler make for an excellent absinthe for a beginner to learn some basics and to train the palate. With it this affordable for the volume (I paid $52 for the liter), Kubler is an great "everyday" absinthe, and I hope to always have some on-hand. Note: I have had difficulty finding the right water:absinthe ratio for my taste with Kubler, though it is possible that it shifted with the age of the bottle and as my palate has developed. This review was done with approximately 3.5 water to 1 absinthe.

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.