La Maison Fontaine - Reviewed by Experts and Consumers at The Wormwood Society
0
Product Details
Available in USA?
Style/Color
Degrees ABV (% alcohol)
Year of Make (if known)
Country of Origin
Distillery
Editor reviews
Awesome.
(Updated: October 29, 2024)
Overall rating
4.3
Appearance
4.0
Louche
4.0
Aroma
4.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
5.0
Finish
5.0
Overall
4.0
The absinthe is clear with no sediment or haze. Barest tinge of straw, only detectable against white computer paper. The aroma is wormwood-heavy, with anise beneath. Fruity, round.
The louche is a bit on the thin side, but very nice. Pearly with shades of blue. With water the anise comes forward and balances well with the minty wormwood. Some spice.
The flavour is sweet, wormwoody. Soft. Nice anise. Earthy with citrus notes. A tad powdery in texture, but not in taste. There's a hint of a medicinal flavour that is well matched with the rest of the package.
The finish is fruity and lasting, fading to slight bitterness with fennel peaking through. Leaves a creamy coating on the tongue.
This is a fantastic blanche. Nothing really stands out as unique about it but it's immaculately crafted. As a sheer matter of taste I'd like to bring that great wormwood forward even more, but that's just me.
The louche is a bit on the thin side, but very nice. Pearly with shades of blue. With water the anise comes forward and balances well with the minty wormwood. Some spice.
The flavour is sweet, wormwoody. Soft. Nice anise. Earthy with citrus notes. A tad powdery in texture, but not in taste. There's a hint of a medicinal flavour that is well matched with the rest of the package.
The finish is fruity and lasting, fading to slight bitterness with fennel peaking through. Leaves a creamy coating on the tongue.
This is a fantastic blanche. Nothing really stands out as unique about it but it's immaculately crafted. As a sheer matter of taste I'd like to bring that great wormwood forward even more, but that's just me.
A
Starry, "Starry" Night
(Updated: October 29, 2024)
Overall rating
4.2
Appearance
4.0
Louche
4.0
Aroma
5.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
4.0
Finish
4.0
Overall
4.0
Color
Perfectly clear and bright with the ever so slightest gold tint, however, nearly colorless. Louched, a fairly opaque white with a slight golden undertone and some light bluish-grey and violet-blue at the edges and meniscus.
Louche
Almost pearl-like under the right light, but unfortunately a little frustrating, because it is only so close. The weight of this louche is right at the limit. I'd like to see a little more translucence and I think it would be very pearl-like and pretty. I believe another reviewer mentioned the inclusion of star anise here, and I believe that to be true, based on palate and finish impressions. Dialing it back a bit would probably help the louche and the palate.
Aroma
A much more herbal initial impression than most blanches. Nice! Anise and fennel are in good support, with a quite complicated herbal profile. Great wormwood, chamomile, hay, straw, and flowers. A slight earthy, rooty tinge. Nothing "off", at all. Very balanced. A great "full frequency" range of impressions. As it warms I get the tiniest hint of powderiness.
Flavor
Tasty. Nice trinity. All the herbal stuff having their say... wormwood, pontica, chamomile, mint. The entry is very round, but moments later the coriander and Artemisias start to chisel away at the tongue, reinforced by a tingliness, almost bordering on prickliness. That's star anise showing it's hand, and I'd like to see it reduced for this reason. More water helps, but I've found star anise to be quite resistant to being tamed. All in all, though, quite nicely balanced. This new guy at Pernod has mouthfeel down to a science. Nice and smooth like a clean dry hand on wrapping tissue, and just the right weight.
Finish
Long, minty, fresh, and tingly. The tingliness immediately springs up over the entire palate, accompanied by some drying and salivation, all riding on the wormwood express. The star anise is apparent as the finish wears on, becoming a dominating brightness and just slightly over-drying. A little fatiguing, as a result.
Overall
Right up with the top blanches I have experienced. Beautiful, balanced, herbal. Aromas and flavors encompass the entire spectrum, from base to top notes. Wonderful immediacy to all impressions. A very defined personality, and consistent in attitude with the other recent E. Pernot offerings. Really, my only nit to pick is the mild aggression of the star anise. That said, my favorite dilution is as much water as I can stand, without it falling apart, somewhere in the 4:1 - 4.2:1 area. My man, Sly, said "Everybody Is A Star"... absinthes too, I suppose, and this one is shining brightly. Dial back that "star" from supernova to dwarf, and I'll bet you'd really have something here.
Done with a 1 ounce dose, diluted 3.5:1, 4:1, and 4.2:1 and no sugar.
La Maison Fontaine 11/06/10, 11/20/10, 11/27/10, 11/28/10.
All evaluations had consistent notes.
Perfectly clear and bright with the ever so slightest gold tint, however, nearly colorless. Louched, a fairly opaque white with a slight golden undertone and some light bluish-grey and violet-blue at the edges and meniscus.
Louche
Almost pearl-like under the right light, but unfortunately a little frustrating, because it is only so close. The weight of this louche is right at the limit. I'd like to see a little more translucence and I think it would be very pearl-like and pretty. I believe another reviewer mentioned the inclusion of star anise here, and I believe that to be true, based on palate and finish impressions. Dialing it back a bit would probably help the louche and the palate.
Aroma
A much more herbal initial impression than most blanches. Nice! Anise and fennel are in good support, with a quite complicated herbal profile. Great wormwood, chamomile, hay, straw, and flowers. A slight earthy, rooty tinge. Nothing "off", at all. Very balanced. A great "full frequency" range of impressions. As it warms I get the tiniest hint of powderiness.
Flavor
Tasty. Nice trinity. All the herbal stuff having their say... wormwood, pontica, chamomile, mint. The entry is very round, but moments later the coriander and Artemisias start to chisel away at the tongue, reinforced by a tingliness, almost bordering on prickliness. That's star anise showing it's hand, and I'd like to see it reduced for this reason. More water helps, but I've found star anise to be quite resistant to being tamed. All in all, though, quite nicely balanced. This new guy at Pernod has mouthfeel down to a science. Nice and smooth like a clean dry hand on wrapping tissue, and just the right weight.
Finish
Long, minty, fresh, and tingly. The tingliness immediately springs up over the entire palate, accompanied by some drying and salivation, all riding on the wormwood express. The star anise is apparent as the finish wears on, becoming a dominating brightness and just slightly over-drying. A little fatiguing, as a result.
Overall
Right up with the top blanches I have experienced. Beautiful, balanced, herbal. Aromas and flavors encompass the entire spectrum, from base to top notes. Wonderful immediacy to all impressions. A very defined personality, and consistent in attitude with the other recent E. Pernot offerings. Really, my only nit to pick is the mild aggression of the star anise. That said, my favorite dilution is as much water as I can stand, without it falling apart, somewhere in the 4:1 - 4.2:1 area. My man, Sly, said "Everybody Is A Star"... absinthes too, I suppose, and this one is shining brightly. Dial back that "star" from supernova to dwarf, and I'll bet you'd really have something here.
Done with a 1 ounce dose, diluted 3.5:1, 4:1, and 4.2:1 and no sugar.
La Maison Fontaine 11/06/10, 11/20/10, 11/27/10, 11/28/10.
All evaluations had consistent notes.
M
My kind of blanche!
(Updated: October 29, 2024)
Overall rating
4.7
Appearance
4.0
Louche
5.0
Aroma
4.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
5.0
Finish
5.0
Overall
5.0
Color: Clear with no visible sediment. The bottle presentation is very nice as well. Sophisticated.
Louche: The louche forms very nicely, with a vivid layering effect, ending milky white with touches of iridescent blue. Very inviting. Not too thick and not too thin.
Aroma: Before water, there is a subtle anise aroma that is dominated by the unmistakable aroma of Pontarlier wormwood. Very inviting. After water, the wormwood is still there, but the anise comes out more and is balanced out with the slight earthiness of fennel.
Flavor: Anise at the forefront, followed by a velvet-gloved slap of Pontarlier wormwood. While the sweetness is there, it's not cloying, like how I find a lot of blanche style absinthes. The bitterness and enjoyable astringency of the wormwood is right up my alley, and is much more a feature of the flavor map than with other comparable absinthes. Aside from Blanchette, I can't think of another blanche that has as refreshing of a flavor.
Finish: Velvety and smooth with lingering wormwood and just a touch of anise. I even get hints of violet and baby powder. Very enjoyable.
Overall: Try as I might (I don't like to be overly complimentary!), I can't find anything complain about unless I really want to nitpick. This is a very well made absinthe. For those of you who like blanches, but are looking for one that's a little less sweet, with a more forward wormwood profile, this is for you. This ranks in my top two favorite blanches. Well done.
Louche: The louche forms very nicely, with a vivid layering effect, ending milky white with touches of iridescent blue. Very inviting. Not too thick and not too thin.
Aroma: Before water, there is a subtle anise aroma that is dominated by the unmistakable aroma of Pontarlier wormwood. Very inviting. After water, the wormwood is still there, but the anise comes out more and is balanced out with the slight earthiness of fennel.
Flavor: Anise at the forefront, followed by a velvet-gloved slap of Pontarlier wormwood. While the sweetness is there, it's not cloying, like how I find a lot of blanche style absinthes. The bitterness and enjoyable astringency of the wormwood is right up my alley, and is much more a feature of the flavor map than with other comparable absinthes. Aside from Blanchette, I can't think of another blanche that has as refreshing of a flavor.
Finish: Velvety and smooth with lingering wormwood and just a touch of anise. I even get hints of violet and baby powder. Very enjoyable.
Overall: Try as I might (I don't like to be overly complimentary!), I can't find anything complain about unless I really want to nitpick. This is a very well made absinthe. For those of you who like blanches, but are looking for one that's a little less sweet, with a more forward wormwood profile, this is for you. This ranks in my top two favorite blanches. Well done.
B
User reviews
7 reviews
Overall rating
4.3
Appearance
4.4(7)
Louche
4.0(7)
Aroma
4.3(7)
Flavor / Mouthfeel
4.3(7)
Finish
4.5(7)
Overall
4.1(7)
A clear winner
(Updated: October 29, 2024)
Overall rating
4.3
Appearance
4.5
Louche
4.0
Aroma
4.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
4.5
Finish
4.5
Overall
4.5
Color before adding water is as perfect clear; the aroma prior to loucheing has a strong woody tone characteristic of wormwood. After adding the water the other fragrances come out but the wormwood still dominates the aroma. The flavor is more balanced than the aroma, having the anise fennel and wormwood work together in a magnificent symphony of deliciousness. There is a pleasant level of sweetness to the drink with the faintest notes of citrus.
D
Pure Clarity
(Updated: October 29, 2024)
Overall rating
4.1
Appearance
4.5
Louche
4.0
Aroma
4.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
4.0
Finish
4.0
Overall
4.0
Solid blanche. I enjoy this a lot more than the verte they also produce. Like many other blanches, the neat color is absolutely clear. It louches well and has a lovely aroma and one of the more flavorful profiles amoung the blanches I have tasted. It has a nice wormwood bite to it - and a bit of alpine freshness. Very, very nice.
J
Really Good
(Updated: October 29, 2024)
Overall rating
4.3
Appearance
4.5
Louche
4.0
Aroma
4.5
Flavor / Mouthfeel
4.5
Finish
4.0
Overall
4.0
Color: Perfectly clear
Louche: Correct and attractive. Rather quick. Cloudy grey white
Aroma: Anise, pepper and pine. Deep, dark and earthy with some bubble-gum and green pepper brightness. Green herbs. Smells more herbal than most blanches
Flavor: Mouthful of herbs. Black tea, herbal anise, black pepper, pine needles, tangy and sweet. Very pleasant bitterness, present but not sharp. The aroma and flavor of this absinthe is amazing
Finish: Piney bitterness, than sharp and peppery. Medicinal. Lingers a long time. Dry
Overall: A typical blanche is usually bright and crisp and anise forward. This one is more masculine and wormwood forward. The herbs are used very well to give a rich flavor and aroma. An excellent blanche!
Louche: Correct and attractive. Rather quick. Cloudy grey white
Aroma: Anise, pepper and pine. Deep, dark and earthy with some bubble-gum and green pepper brightness. Green herbs. Smells more herbal than most blanches
Flavor: Mouthful of herbs. Black tea, herbal anise, black pepper, pine needles, tangy and sweet. Very pleasant bitterness, present but not sharp. The aroma and flavor of this absinthe is amazing
Finish: Piney bitterness, than sharp and peppery. Medicinal. Lingers a long time. Dry
Overall: A typical blanche is usually bright and crisp and anise forward. This one is more masculine and wormwood forward. The herbs are used very well to give a rich flavor and aroma. An excellent blanche!
B
Delightful surprise.
(Updated: October 29, 2024)
Overall rating
4.1
Appearance
4.5
Louche
4.0
Aroma
4.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
4.0
Finish
4.5
Overall
4.0
Appearance: Barely off from being perfectly clear, but not by much.
Louche: Nicely cloudy without turning into a milk; white with some murkiness that detracts a little bit from what would otherwise be ideal.
Aroma: The fragrance started while louching, into something big and really nice...quite musky sweet, but there's something that hints at a rubbery odor.
Flavor/Mouthfeel: The flavor isn't particularly big and bold, but not at all disappointing. It's quite candied with a really nice wormwood punch. Very fresh and cool, almost like a mint-free mouthwash.
Finish: The lingering flavors and sensations are crisp and tingley, and almost a little dry; pleasantly fresh and flavorful.
Overall: Really pleased with this one. Generally I'm not super excited about blanches but this one is fairly complex and it's hard to find anything to complain about.
Louche: Nicely cloudy without turning into a milk; white with some murkiness that detracts a little bit from what would otherwise be ideal.
Aroma: The fragrance started while louching, into something big and really nice...quite musky sweet, but there's something that hints at a rubbery odor.
Flavor/Mouthfeel: The flavor isn't particularly big and bold, but not at all disappointing. It's quite candied with a really nice wormwood punch. Very fresh and cool, almost like a mint-free mouthwash.
Finish: The lingering flavors and sensations are crisp and tingley, and almost a little dry; pleasantly fresh and flavorful.
Overall: Really pleased with this one. Generally I'm not super excited about blanches but this one is fairly complex and it's hard to find anything to complain about.
A
It's so close!
(Updated: October 29, 2024)
Overall rating
4.5
Appearance
4.0
Louche
4.5
Aroma
5.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
4.5
Finish
5.0
Overall
4.0
Appearance: So close to perfect. There is the slightest, and I mean tiniest, amount of hue. The only other visible imperfections are from the glass. Water isn't this clear.
Louche: Again, this is the “almost perfect” that is wonderful and yet so painful. The louche is slightly hued and nuanced like a jewel. It just happens to be a bit on the thick side as well.
Aroma: Wormwood forward with a strong backing from the other two in the trinity. Very mild notes of citrus and spice add complexity to the otherwise floral background. Smells absolutely wonderful. Not weak at all like many blanches, very, very, promising.
Flavor: Wormwood forward with a honey like anise sweetness. The wormwood dominates just a tad too much while some floral tones and some surprising apple flavors dance around a bit. Very mellow but not in a weak way. Subtle, nuanced, elegant, and yet still has some character. Like drinking a glass of Ava Gardner.
Finish: A lovely anise comes forward to sweeten and soften the finish. The flavors play around with a floral fade leading to the apple tone changing to pear. It's like a magic trick or something! Absolutely lovely.
Overall: This blanche is so close to perfect that it makes every little, tiny, imperfection just that much more aggravating. Granted in a non-critical setting this would be absolutely wonderful and elegant. It's balanced, and not simple or weak like many blanches. The flavors aren't yelling at you, but they aren't shy either. As far as wormwood forward absinthes go, this is the least "aggressive" one I've had yet.
Louche: Again, this is the “almost perfect” that is wonderful and yet so painful. The louche is slightly hued and nuanced like a jewel. It just happens to be a bit on the thick side as well.
Aroma: Wormwood forward with a strong backing from the other two in the trinity. Very mild notes of citrus and spice add complexity to the otherwise floral background. Smells absolutely wonderful. Not weak at all like many blanches, very, very, promising.
Flavor: Wormwood forward with a honey like anise sweetness. The wormwood dominates just a tad too much while some floral tones and some surprising apple flavors dance around a bit. Very mellow but not in a weak way. Subtle, nuanced, elegant, and yet still has some character. Like drinking a glass of Ava Gardner.
Finish: A lovely anise comes forward to sweeten and soften the finish. The flavors play around with a floral fade leading to the apple tone changing to pear. It's like a magic trick or something! Absolutely lovely.
Overall: This blanche is so close to perfect that it makes every little, tiny, imperfection just that much more aggravating. Granted in a non-critical setting this would be absolutely wonderful and elegant. It's balanced, and not simple or weak like many blanches. The flavors aren't yelling at you, but they aren't shy either. As far as wormwood forward absinthes go, this is the least "aggressive" one I've had yet.
E