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.

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.

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!

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.

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.