I finally got to revisit this absinthe, and it is nowhere near as bitter as I remember. Had I known they had changed the recipe, I would have bought a few bottles before www.duny.com quit carrying them. The dose I revered had a ratio of 4.5 parts water to one part absinthe, without sugar.

The color out of the bottle was dark greenish brown, not exactly green, but not unappealing or very remarkable.
The louche was very quick, thick and long lasting. Something I like in a louche, I didn't have to gently coax it out.
The aroma was very sweet and floral, not much wormwood or anything else.
I like the flavor, it is sweet, floral, I can't really detect a strong wormwood presence. It is incredibly sweet even without sugar, almost like candy. I would really enjoy this on days when I'd be in the mood for an absinthe on the sweeter side. I remember the earlier batch that I had tried was unpleasantly bitter, this newer batch is not like that at all.
The finish is hardly there for me. It fades very quickly and isn't very satisfying. There is some dryness that forms after a while, and a little bit of numbness, but it just isn't what I like in an absinthe.

Overall, I do like La Charlotte, especially considering what the price had been considering the quality, and I am a lot more appreciative of it after the changes, whether they were real or perceived. I would love to see it come back on the market again.

3:1 with one sugar.

I'm wondering if they've tweaked this recipe a bit...Mine was not nearly as bitter and unbalanced as the other reviews led me to expect. Perhaps that extra year in the bottle helped as well.

Color. Dark yellow and clear. Not ugly, not pretty

Louche. It formed very fast. Clouds and a layer at the top, but zoom...it was over.
Color improved with the louche going from yellow to a light white/green. Fairly thick.

Aroma. Again, better than expected. Anise wormwood and spice are all there. It was strong enough to detect from a couple feet away as the louche formed. A little flat and not very multi-tiered, but not bad either.

Flavor. Very sweet and in your face star anise and modest wormwood. A light earthiness that isn't bad, and a very mild spice and citrus. Not something I would reach for often, but it is not nearly as bitter for me as others have mentioned. I would venture to say that some might find it good enough to drink from time to time.

Finish. Light tingle, anise and wormwood, citrusy tang. Fades quickly, but not unpleasant. Leaves a bit of a sourness in your mouth after all else has faded away.

Overall, for the money, it tastes better than a lot of crap that costs more. If you're on a budget, you could do worse. I'd be happy to send a sample of this to those who hated it to see if this bottle is different than their experience.

La Charlotte makes for an interesting change of pace, but one has to be in the right mood for it. It also helps if you have a high tolerance for bitterness.

The color (before water) is a rich greenish gold, reminiscent of a quality olive oil. The louche forms quickly and the absinthe transforms into a thick, yellowish jade. I suspect many will find the louche to be too thick to be ideal.

The aroma is quite nice if intensely herbal, and much of that herbal quality comes through in the flavor as well. There is no unwanted grassiness, so I give this absinthe comparatively high marks in that respect. However, there is a surprising bitterness which underlies the other aspects of the flavor, and in the finish this bitterness intensifies until it becomes obtrusive. In this respect, I am reminded somewhat of the Belle Amie, though the latter is better than La Charlotte.

Overall, I think this is an acceptable absinthe, but some may find the bitterness unappealing. It makes for an interesting change of pace, perhaps, but it falls well short of the standard set by the better brands on the market today.

The color was gold with a tiny bit of green.

Ahhh, the louche. It happened so fast that it wasn't enjoyable. Very thick and no opalescence.

Aroma wasn't unpleasant but just different.

The flavor started like the louche. First taste was very nice but was quickly taken over by the bitterness and anise

The finish was long and bitter. The tongue/mouth numbing made me think it was all star anise and slight green anise if any.

Overall it is a drink that you have to be in the mood to drink. I wouldn't offer it to an absinthe beginner. Sugar couldn't hide the bitterness but it may sweeten it. I'll let it set awhile and try it in a few months. It just isn't something I'd suggest unless you want an inexpensive absinthe.

La Charlotte’s unlouched color is an almost pure gold which is attractive but unexpected and not entirely appropriate given that it is an un-aged verte. Louched, the color is that of straw with a hint of peridot finally showing.

This absinthe has an active louche, with white tendrils appearing early on in the watering. However, these are too milky and thick, providing no opacity.

Anise is practically the only detectable aroma, even after the water drip begins. It is not an anise-bomb exactly, but it is too simple and unremarkable.

The flavor starts out a little too bitter and with too much anise, but it is not horrible -- and then the bitterness takes over completely. Even watered to 4:1 or 5:1 it is overpowering. Adding more sugar just makes the drink cloyingly sweet on one hand, and does not eliminate the bitterness, either.

The finish is where this absinthe lacks terribly. What might otherwise have been an average absinthe was ruined for me by the acrid aftertaste that does not go away.

Overall, I would not recommend this to anyone. Even those people who enjoy a bitter bite to their absinthe would find this one wooden and unrelenting. I struggled to mark the flavor as a 2 instead of a 1 simply because the overwhelmingly bitter aftertaste wipes away the memory of the decent enough taste.