L'Italienne is a pretty and deep gold. Right upon opening the bottle, this absinthe's aroma is splendid. Neat in the glass, it does sear the nose with alcohol some, but otherwise suggests a fruity blend of wormwood and a honey-like character. There is a fresh anise, but it is in more of a supporting role. I did a slow drip to a 1:4 ratio, as any less water produced a too-vague louche. Louched, the aroma becomes stronger, but not too different than before; I think L'Italienne laid its cards on the table already. It isn't quite room-filling, but that shouldn't detract from how nice it smells.

L'Italienne is light on anise and misses out on what likely would have been a nice, creamy mouth feel, but it makes up for it with its simply superb flavor. It is difficult to single out individual herbs in this absinthe, even the anise and wormwood; they all blend quite seamlessly. Perhaps it is this particular wormwood that doesn't leave much of an enduring finish, though it is wonderful while it lasts.

This absinthe is already one of my favorites for the quality of its nose and the harmony of its taste. I think if there were more wormwood, the finish could stay with me longer, and that would be an improvement. I also believe it could benefit in mouth feel and aroma from a greater portion of anise. But these are minor personal quibbles.