Lucid - Absinthe Superieure - Reviewed by Experts and Consumers at The Wormwood Society
Editor reviews
Solid Centerline Verte
(Updated: September 12, 2012)
Overall rating
3.2
Appearance
3.0
Louche
3.0
Aroma
3.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
4.0
Finish
3.0
Overall
3.0
Color
Quite pale olive oil green. Natural looking, but not riveting in any way.
Louche
Good oily looking trails at first while cloudiness builds from the bottom. They quickly turn from trails to big rolling explosions. Nice to watch. Cloudiness builds pretty quickly, and the drink is mostly opaque by a little over 1:1. Final color is a light greenish yellow, white highlights, and greenish white meniscus. Nothing wrong with this color, just nothing particularly arresting, either. Kind of flat.
Aroma
Pre-louche, anise and some wormwood and a lot of alcohol. Louched, primarily wormwood with good support from the anise and fennel. Aromas are fairly faint, not very assertive. Nonetheless, all the expected components are present and in good balance. Still nicely herbal, with a little florality and spice. In the second evaluation, I detected a slight "stewed vegetable" funk.
Flavor
Certainly proper absinthe. Wormwood, anise, and fennel are all in quite nice balance. Not a powerhouse of flavor, but nicely correct. A little excessive heat on the palate. As with aroma, all facets of palate are in good balance. The "funk" in the aroma does not carry over to the palate. Both flavors and aromas improve noticeably with air and increased temperature.
Finish
Nice gentle drying and astringency on the finish followed by a little burst of spice and some heat. The finish accurately wraps up what the nose and palate portend. There's a little prickliness in the tongue from the alcohol, a little more water may help, but I'm concerned about really diminishing the aromas and flavors.
Overall
This would be a fine intro to absinthe for anyone. Everything is correct, nothing overdone. Not distinctive, but I'm sure the producer went to good lengths to make sure they would have dead consistency in this product. It almost seems to be designed to not offend anyone, and there's always a sacrifice when one plays not to loose... diminished personality, distinctiveness, and excitement. On the other hand, someone needs to make that centerline product that defines the category. This may be it.
7/06/09 Revisit - All original scores and text is unaltered. New observations are that the "funk" to which I refer in the original review, I'm sure, is the beet alcohol base showing itself from time to time. Also, more water didn't hurt it at all. This offering, in my opinion, is exactly as I titled it... "Centerline". Knowing what I know now, I think it is remarkable that Mr. Breaux can make so much of this and have it in such wide distribution as he does, and maintain this quality level. Many others do not. This was my 4th review on WS. With another eight months and 30 CO's of absinthe study under my belt, my current opinion is that it is one to get to know, after which it is easier to understand "for better or for worse". And believe me, you could do a lot worse. A LOT worse.
Done with a 1 ounce dose, diluted 3:1, 4:1, and no sugar.
Lucid 11/08/08, 11/12/08, 7/06/09.
All evaluations had consistent notes.
Quite pale olive oil green. Natural looking, but not riveting in any way.
Louche
Good oily looking trails at first while cloudiness builds from the bottom. They quickly turn from trails to big rolling explosions. Nice to watch. Cloudiness builds pretty quickly, and the drink is mostly opaque by a little over 1:1. Final color is a light greenish yellow, white highlights, and greenish white meniscus. Nothing wrong with this color, just nothing particularly arresting, either. Kind of flat.
Aroma
Pre-louche, anise and some wormwood and a lot of alcohol. Louched, primarily wormwood with good support from the anise and fennel. Aromas are fairly faint, not very assertive. Nonetheless, all the expected components are present and in good balance. Still nicely herbal, with a little florality and spice. In the second evaluation, I detected a slight "stewed vegetable" funk.
Flavor
Certainly proper absinthe. Wormwood, anise, and fennel are all in quite nice balance. Not a powerhouse of flavor, but nicely correct. A little excessive heat on the palate. As with aroma, all facets of palate are in good balance. The "funk" in the aroma does not carry over to the palate. Both flavors and aromas improve noticeably with air and increased temperature.
Finish
Nice gentle drying and astringency on the finish followed by a little burst of spice and some heat. The finish accurately wraps up what the nose and palate portend. There's a little prickliness in the tongue from the alcohol, a little more water may help, but I'm concerned about really diminishing the aromas and flavors.
Overall
This would be a fine intro to absinthe for anyone. Everything is correct, nothing overdone. Not distinctive, but I'm sure the producer went to good lengths to make sure they would have dead consistency in this product. It almost seems to be designed to not offend anyone, and there's always a sacrifice when one plays not to loose... diminished personality, distinctiveness, and excitement. On the other hand, someone needs to make that centerline product that defines the category. This may be it.
7/06/09 Revisit - All original scores and text is unaltered. New observations are that the "funk" to which I refer in the original review, I'm sure, is the beet alcohol base showing itself from time to time. Also, more water didn't hurt it at all. This offering, in my opinion, is exactly as I titled it... "Centerline". Knowing what I know now, I think it is remarkable that Mr. Breaux can make so much of this and have it in such wide distribution as he does, and maintain this quality level. Many others do not. This was my 4th review on WS. With another eight months and 30 CO's of absinthe study under my belt, my current opinion is that it is one to get to know, after which it is easier to understand "for better or for worse". And believe me, you could do a lot worse. A LOT worse.
Done with a 1 ounce dose, diluted 3:1, 4:1, and no sugar.
Lucid 11/08/08, 11/12/08, 7/06/09.
All evaluations had consistent notes.
M
Simple, clean and tasty
(Updated: September 28, 2007)
Overall rating
3.7
Appearance
4.0
Louche
3.0
Aroma
3.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
4.0
Finish
4.0
Overall
4.0
A wonderful first absinthe for America! Call it "Jade Lite" but it is a smooth and absolutely drinkable absinthe. Sure it's not as complex as the Daddy Jades but it doesn't pack the hefty price, either. I especially like the sustained flavor long after the drink has been swallowed of wormwood and a warm spiciness.
Consider the price and factor in the delivery charge if it was shipped from Europe and you have to give Lucid credit as excellent bang-for-your-buck. Besides the price, it's an excellent everyday absinthe.
Consider the price and factor in the delivery charge if it was shipped from Europe and you have to give Lucid credit as excellent bang-for-your-buck. Besides the price, it's an excellent everyday absinthe.
J
The first absinthe to hit US shelves since the ban
(Updated: May 29, 2011)
Overall rating
3.3
Appearance
4.0
Louche
4.0
Aroma
3.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
3.0
Finish
3.0
Overall
3.0
05/29/11 Revisit
The colour has improved to a bright gold with a hint of green. There is a very slight haziness but it is otherwise quite attractive. The aroma is anise-forward, with some caramel and notes of green apple.
The louche is also improved. Almost white with a hint of greenish blue. Nice lightplay. After water the wormwood comes forward some. There's a dose of funky cumin. The unwanted caramel aroma is still there but has backed off a bit.
The flavour is dominated by very sweet, strong anise, but unfortunately the second most dominant flavour is the annoying funk. The wormwood lays back some. The caramel taste thankfully isn't anywhere near as strong as it used to be, which has a huge impact on the perception of freshness. There's a slight tartness and some spicy notes. The finish is a wall of numbing anise and not terribly complex.
It's definitely improved. There are still some crippling flaws but it has gone from being nearly undrinkable to a decent, middle-shelf absinthe.
Original review:
Lucid pours a pale, clear, natural olive. The louche is everywhere at once and lacking theatrics, but it does have good definition and refraction as it turns a pale yellow-green. The light aroma is of mostly anise and wormwood but also seems caramelized. All of these characteristics carry over into the simple, flat flavour. There are no noticeable notes of colouring herbs. Another flaw is a funky, sweaty taste but it's not dominating. However, I find the caramelly flavour over the top and highly distracting. The mouth-feel is fairly creamy and not too numbing. The finish is wormwood that seems to transform into fennel as it lingers. Lucid just doesn't taste like I expect absinthe to. It's got the basic, required components but they don't add up right.
The colour has improved to a bright gold with a hint of green. There is a very slight haziness but it is otherwise quite attractive. The aroma is anise-forward, with some caramel and notes of green apple.
The louche is also improved. Almost white with a hint of greenish blue. Nice lightplay. After water the wormwood comes forward some. There's a dose of funky cumin. The unwanted caramel aroma is still there but has backed off a bit.
The flavour is dominated by very sweet, strong anise, but unfortunately the second most dominant flavour is the annoying funk. The wormwood lays back some. The caramel taste thankfully isn't anywhere near as strong as it used to be, which has a huge impact on the perception of freshness. There's a slight tartness and some spicy notes. The finish is a wall of numbing anise and not terribly complex.
It's definitely improved. There are still some crippling flaws but it has gone from being nearly undrinkable to a decent, middle-shelf absinthe.
Original review:
Lucid pours a pale, clear, natural olive. The louche is everywhere at once and lacking theatrics, but it does have good definition and refraction as it turns a pale yellow-green. The light aroma is of mostly anise and wormwood but also seems caramelized. All of these characteristics carry over into the simple, flat flavour. There are no noticeable notes of colouring herbs. Another flaw is a funky, sweaty taste but it's not dominating. However, I find the caramelly flavour over the top and highly distracting. The mouth-feel is fairly creamy and not too numbing. The finish is wormwood that seems to transform into fennel as it lingers. Lucid just doesn't taste like I expect absinthe to. It's got the basic, required components but they don't add up right.
A
A very nice introduction for the US market
(Updated: September 13, 2008)
Overall rating
3.3
Appearance
3.0
Louche
4.0
Aroma
4.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
3.0
Finish
3.0
Overall
3.0
ORIGINAL REVIEW FROM 7/27/07: Tagged even by Ted Breaux as a 'Jade light', this is the first authentic absinthe to be released for purchase within the U.S. since the early 1900's.
The color isn't as bright as the Jades, but very natural and pleasant. There's just a hint of murkiness.
The louche starts with wonderful oil trails and builds slowly from the bottom to the top, with a clear delineation of green and milky white.
The aroma is spicy and herbal with nice amounts of anise and fennel. Quite powerful. The use of beet spirit instead of grape spirit is noticable, but not off-putting.
Upon tasting, I didn't expect as much anise as I got. Given his notes that he had reduced the amount of anise to comply with American tastes, I was taken by surprise. The balance of anise and fennel and wormwood is much better than I anticipated. It also leaves nice legs on the glass when drinking or swirling.
The finish has a hint of the same spiciness that I taste with the PF 1914 vintage. Almost peppery. When asked about this at the Tales of the Cocktail 2007, he attributed this to the use of commercially available herbs, which have different qualities and tastes than the small scale harvesting of herbs that he uses for the Jades.
Overall, this is a great introduction of absinthe to the US. It's an absinthe that doesn't overpower the novice, and will leave them wanting to try more. A success as a door opener. OVERALL REVIEW: 3.8
UPDATED REVIEW 9-13-08:
Most of my opinions above still are valid, but with the recent influx of high quality absinthe into the US market, the original scores just couldn't hold up to the competition. It's still a great introduction to absinthe newcomers, but it's a mid-range absinthe. Made th right way, with the qualities one looks for in authentic brands, just not a blockbuster.
The color isn't as bright as the Jades, but very natural and pleasant. There's just a hint of murkiness.
The louche starts with wonderful oil trails and builds slowly from the bottom to the top, with a clear delineation of green and milky white.
The aroma is spicy and herbal with nice amounts of anise and fennel. Quite powerful. The use of beet spirit instead of grape spirit is noticable, but not off-putting.
Upon tasting, I didn't expect as much anise as I got. Given his notes that he had reduced the amount of anise to comply with American tastes, I was taken by surprise. The balance of anise and fennel and wormwood is much better than I anticipated. It also leaves nice legs on the glass when drinking or swirling.
The finish has a hint of the same spiciness that I taste with the PF 1914 vintage. Almost peppery. When asked about this at the Tales of the Cocktail 2007, he attributed this to the use of commercially available herbs, which have different qualities and tastes than the small scale harvesting of herbs that he uses for the Jades.
Overall, this is a great introduction of absinthe to the US. It's an absinthe that doesn't overpower the novice, and will leave them wanting to try more. A success as a door opener. OVERALL REVIEW: 3.8
UPDATED REVIEW 9-13-08:
Most of my opinions above still are valid, but with the recent influx of high quality absinthe into the US market, the original scores just couldn't hold up to the competition. It's still a great introduction to absinthe newcomers, but it's a mid-range absinthe. Made th right way, with the qualities one looks for in authentic brands, just not a blockbuster.
User reviews
30 reviews
Overall rating
3.3
Appearance
3.2(30)
Louche
3.7(30)
Aroma
3.3(30)
Flavor / Mouthfeel
3.5(30)
Finish
3.2(30)
Overall
3.2(30)
"Jade Light" -- Still the Basic Standard, and stil
Overall rating
3.5
Appearance
3.0
Louche
4.0
Aroma
3.5
Flavor / Mouthfeel
4.0
Finish
3.0
Overall
3.0
Update to previous review-- hope this works right...
Basically, one change on the scores-- after a lot of reflection, I decided that Lucid deserves a 4 in Flavor/Mouthfeel: According to the WS Absinthe Evaluation sheet, 4 = "Correct, interesting, pleasant, enjoyable" and to me, Lucid is definitely that. The "burn" I reported earlier is more in the finish than the flavor, and it just works well. It's still the solid "proper midmarket standard" but it does well at that, and I think Mr Breaux managed to formulate an excellent absinthe for the masses here.
Also, yeah, Lucid is "Jade Light"-- but sometimes I'm not in the mood for the full complexity of a real Jade and "Jade Light" is exactly what I want. :)
Original Review:
Lucid, the basic standard
Broke out my bottle of Lucid for a night-cap and a tasting session with the WS Absinthe Score sheet last night (and posted the initial version of this in the forum, but now I can post it where it belongs… ?
The appearance is natural, correct, clear, acceptable-- but IMO too pale for the 4 or 5 ratings.
Louche: well, it's a great Louche—I’m tempted to give it a 5, except that I've seen Jade N.O. and La Clandestine after louching... Lucid’s good, but not the best
Aroma: I think it's acceptable, correct, good proper absinthe-- it's just a little undistinguished compared to the great ones, but there's nothing wrong with it. I didn’t catch any of the “funk” I’ve heard others report (admittedly my bottle is, at this point, quite well-aged though…).
Flavor/Mouthfeel: It's correct & proper-- I still like Lucid, even after trying several other varieties of Absinthe-- if it's got a flaw, it's that there's still a little more "burn" instead of "smooth" than I'd expect from a top-notch absinthe, and set next to Jade & La Clandestine-- two of the others I've tried-- it comes off as undistinguished, but only by comparison though. Still totally acceptable & nothing wrong with it – I’m tempted to give it a 4, but in the end I think 3.5 is the right spot.
Finish: The standard descriptor by the 3, "Lingers pleasantly, no outstanding characteristics." says it all-- nothing wrong, just not truly "outstanding".
Overall: It fits the 3 rating perfectly-- IMO, entirely acceptable and it's the very epitome of the proper mid-market standard.
Further comments:
As I've indicated previously-- I like Lucid, I'm going to keep drinking it occasionally, and when I finish this bottle, I'm going to buy another one. It's my standard, go-to, ordinary occasion Absinthe. It's my "I just want to enjoy sipping on a simple glass of absinthe at the end of a long day..." choice. I gave it the ratings I did because Lucid is the middle of the road standard: I'm well aware there are absinthes that are made better, are more complex, perhaps ultimately tastier-- and I plan to indulge in them when I can, whenever I want something good & complex; and definitely for special occasions. The existence of higher end absinthe doesn't change my decision that Lucid has a place in my liquor cabinet and at my table. However, since Lucid is readily available, it's also still my "baseline"-- I find Lucid fully acceptable, but any Absinthe that doesn't compare favorably with Lucid is unacceptable to me-- it is the basic standard that others must equal or exceed.
For those interested: I'm actually not quite sure of the exact water-to-absinthe ratio I use as a fractional measurement-- but I use the same glasses, I fill the reservoir with absinthe to the same line, I fill it to 1/2" from the brim with ice water every time I prepare absinthe, using a broullier or dripping over a spoon, with a sugar cube-- so I am consistent in my methods and amounts each time. And yes, I'm one of those who always takes absinthe with sugar by preference.
Basically, one change on the scores-- after a lot of reflection, I decided that Lucid deserves a 4 in Flavor/Mouthfeel: According to the WS Absinthe Evaluation sheet, 4 = "Correct, interesting, pleasant, enjoyable" and to me, Lucid is definitely that. The "burn" I reported earlier is more in the finish than the flavor, and it just works well. It's still the solid "proper midmarket standard" but it does well at that, and I think Mr Breaux managed to formulate an excellent absinthe for the masses here.
Also, yeah, Lucid is "Jade Light"-- but sometimes I'm not in the mood for the full complexity of a real Jade and "Jade Light" is exactly what I want. :)
Original Review:
Lucid, the basic standard
Broke out my bottle of Lucid for a night-cap and a tasting session with the WS Absinthe Score sheet last night (and posted the initial version of this in the forum, but now I can post it where it belongs… ?
The appearance is natural, correct, clear, acceptable-- but IMO too pale for the 4 or 5 ratings.
Louche: well, it's a great Louche—I’m tempted to give it a 5, except that I've seen Jade N.O. and La Clandestine after louching... Lucid’s good, but not the best
Aroma: I think it's acceptable, correct, good proper absinthe-- it's just a little undistinguished compared to the great ones, but there's nothing wrong with it. I didn’t catch any of the “funk” I’ve heard others report (admittedly my bottle is, at this point, quite well-aged though…).
Flavor/Mouthfeel: It's correct & proper-- I still like Lucid, even after trying several other varieties of Absinthe-- if it's got a flaw, it's that there's still a little more "burn" instead of "smooth" than I'd expect from a top-notch absinthe, and set next to Jade & La Clandestine-- two of the others I've tried-- it comes off as undistinguished, but only by comparison though. Still totally acceptable & nothing wrong with it – I’m tempted to give it a 4, but in the end I think 3.5 is the right spot.
Finish: The standard descriptor by the 3, "Lingers pleasantly, no outstanding characteristics." says it all-- nothing wrong, just not truly "outstanding".
Overall: It fits the 3 rating perfectly-- IMO, entirely acceptable and it's the very epitome of the proper mid-market standard.
Further comments:
As I've indicated previously-- I like Lucid, I'm going to keep drinking it occasionally, and when I finish this bottle, I'm going to buy another one. It's my standard, go-to, ordinary occasion Absinthe. It's my "I just want to enjoy sipping on a simple glass of absinthe at the end of a long day..." choice. I gave it the ratings I did because Lucid is the middle of the road standard: I'm well aware there are absinthes that are made better, are more complex, perhaps ultimately tastier-- and I plan to indulge in them when I can, whenever I want something good & complex; and definitely for special occasions. The existence of higher end absinthe doesn't change my decision that Lucid has a place in my liquor cabinet and at my table. However, since Lucid is readily available, it's also still my "baseline"-- I find Lucid fully acceptable, but any Absinthe that doesn't compare favorably with Lucid is unacceptable to me-- it is the basic standard that others must equal or exceed.
For those interested: I'm actually not quite sure of the exact water-to-absinthe ratio I use as a fractional measurement-- but I use the same glasses, I fill the reservoir with absinthe to the same line, I fill it to 1/2" from the brim with ice water every time I prepare absinthe, using a broullier or dripping over a spoon, with a sugar cube-- so I am consistent in my methods and amounts each time. And yes, I'm one of those who always takes absinthe with sugar by preference.
M
"Jade Light" -- Still the Basic Standard, and stil
Overall rating
3.5
Appearance
3.0
Louche
4.0
Aroma
3.5
Flavor / Mouthfeel
4.0
Finish
3.0
Overall
3.0
Update to previous review-- hope this works right...
Basically, one change on the scores-- after a lot of reflection, I decided that Lucid deserves a 4 in Flavor/Mouthfeel: According to the WS Absinthe Evaluation sheet, 4 = "Correct, interesting, pleasant, enjoyable" and to me, Lucid is definitely that. The "burn" I reported earlier is more in the finish than the flavor, and it just works well. It's still the solid "proper midmarket standard" but it does well at that, and I think Mr Breaux managed to formulate an excellent absinthe for the masses here.
Also, yeah, Lucid is "Jade Light"-- but sometimes I'm not in the mood for the full complexity of a real Jade and "Jade Light" is exactly what I want. :)
Original Review:
Lucid, the basic standard
Broke out my bottle of Lucid for a night-cap and a tasting session with the WS Absinthe Score sheet last night (and posted the initial version of this in the forum, but now I can post it where it belongs… ?
The appearance is natural, correct, clear, acceptable-- but IMO too pale for the 4 or 5 ratings.
Louche: well, it's a great Louche—I’m tempted to give it a 5, except that I've seen Jade N.O. and La Clandestine after louching... Lucid’s good, but not the best
Aroma: I think it's acceptable, correct, good proper absinthe-- it's just a little undistinguished compared to the great ones, but there's nothing wrong with it. I didn’t catch any of the “funk” I’ve heard others report (admittedly my bottle is, at this point, quite well-aged though…).
Flavor/Mouthfeel: It's correct & proper-- I still like Lucid, even after trying several other varieties of Absinthe-- if it's got a flaw, it's that there's still a little more "burn" instead of "smooth" than I'd expect from a top-notch absinthe, and set next to Jade & La Clandestine-- two of the others I've tried-- it comes off as undistinguished, but only by comparison though. Still totally acceptable & nothing wrong with it – I’m tempted to give it a 4, but in the end I think 3.5 is the right spot.
Finish: The standard descriptor by the 3, "Lingers pleasantly, no outstanding characteristics." says it all-- nothing wrong, just not truly "outstanding".
Overall: It fits the 3 rating perfectly-- IMO, entirely acceptable and it's the very epitome of the proper mid-market standard.
Further comments:
As I've indicated previously-- I like Lucid, I'm going to keep drinking it occasionally, and when I finish this bottle, I'm going to buy another one. It's my standard, go-to, ordinary occasion Absinthe. It's my "I just want to enjoy sipping on a simple glass of absinthe at the end of a long day..." choice. I gave it the ratings I did because Lucid is the middle of the road standard: I'm well aware there are absinthes that are made better, are more complex, perhaps ultimately tastier-- and I plan to indulge in them when I can, whenever I want something good & complex; and definitely for special occasions. The existence of higher end absinthe doesn't change my decision that Lucid has a place in my liquor cabinet and at my table. However, since Lucid is readily available, it's also still my "baseline"-- I find Lucid fully acceptable, but any Absinthe that doesn't compare favorably with Lucid is unacceptable to me-- it is the basic standard that others must equal or exceed.
For those interested: I'm actually not quite sure of the exact water-to-absinthe ratio I use as a fractional measurement-- but I use the same glasses, I fill the reservoir with absinthe to the same line, I fill it to 1/2" from the brim with ice water every time I prepare absinthe, using a broullier or dripping over a spoon, with a sugar cube-- so I am consistent in my methods and amounts each time. And yes, I'm one of those who always takes absinthe with sugar by preference.
Basically, one change on the scores-- after a lot of reflection, I decided that Lucid deserves a 4 in Flavor/Mouthfeel: According to the WS Absinthe Evaluation sheet, 4 = "Correct, interesting, pleasant, enjoyable" and to me, Lucid is definitely that. The "burn" I reported earlier is more in the finish than the flavor, and it just works well. It's still the solid "proper midmarket standard" but it does well at that, and I think Mr Breaux managed to formulate an excellent absinthe for the masses here.
Also, yeah, Lucid is "Jade Light"-- but sometimes I'm not in the mood for the full complexity of a real Jade and "Jade Light" is exactly what I want. :)
Original Review:
Lucid, the basic standard
Broke out my bottle of Lucid for a night-cap and a tasting session with the WS Absinthe Score sheet last night (and posted the initial version of this in the forum, but now I can post it where it belongs… ?
The appearance is natural, correct, clear, acceptable-- but IMO too pale for the 4 or 5 ratings.
Louche: well, it's a great Louche—I’m tempted to give it a 5, except that I've seen Jade N.O. and La Clandestine after louching... Lucid’s good, but not the best
Aroma: I think it's acceptable, correct, good proper absinthe-- it's just a little undistinguished compared to the great ones, but there's nothing wrong with it. I didn’t catch any of the “funk” I’ve heard others report (admittedly my bottle is, at this point, quite well-aged though…).
Flavor/Mouthfeel: It's correct & proper-- I still like Lucid, even after trying several other varieties of Absinthe-- if it's got a flaw, it's that there's still a little more "burn" instead of "smooth" than I'd expect from a top-notch absinthe, and set next to Jade & La Clandestine-- two of the others I've tried-- it comes off as undistinguished, but only by comparison though. Still totally acceptable & nothing wrong with it – I’m tempted to give it a 4, but in the end I think 3.5 is the right spot.
Finish: The standard descriptor by the 3, "Lingers pleasantly, no outstanding characteristics." says it all-- nothing wrong, just not truly "outstanding".
Overall: It fits the 3 rating perfectly-- IMO, entirely acceptable and it's the very epitome of the proper mid-market standard.
Further comments:
As I've indicated previously-- I like Lucid, I'm going to keep drinking it occasionally, and when I finish this bottle, I'm going to buy another one. It's my standard, go-to, ordinary occasion Absinthe. It's my "I just want to enjoy sipping on a simple glass of absinthe at the end of a long day..." choice. I gave it the ratings I did because Lucid is the middle of the road standard: I'm well aware there are absinthes that are made better, are more complex, perhaps ultimately tastier-- and I plan to indulge in them when I can, whenever I want something good & complex; and definitely for special occasions. The existence of higher end absinthe doesn't change my decision that Lucid has a place in my liquor cabinet and at my table. However, since Lucid is readily available, it's also still my "baseline"-- I find Lucid fully acceptable, but any Absinthe that doesn't compare favorably with Lucid is unacceptable to me-- it is the basic standard that others must equal or exceed.
For those interested: I'm actually not quite sure of the exact water-to-absinthe ratio I use as a fractional measurement-- but I use the same glasses, I fill the reservoir with absinthe to the same line, I fill it to 1/2" from the brim with ice water every time I prepare absinthe, using a broullier or dripping over a spoon, with a sugar cube-- so I am consistent in my methods and amounts each time. And yes, I'm one of those who always takes absinthe with sugar by preference.
M
Lucid, the basic standard
Overall rating
3.4
Appearance
3.0
Louche
4.0
Aroma
3.5
Flavor / Mouthfeel
3.5
Finish
3.0
Overall
3.0
Broke out my bottle of Lucid for a night-cap and a tasting session with the WS Absinthe Score sheet last night (and posted the initial version of this in the forum, but now I can post it where it belongs… ?
The appearance is natural, correct, clear, acceptable-- but IMO too pale for the 4 or 5 ratings.
Louche: well, it's a great Louche—I’m tempted to give it a 5, except that I've seen Jade N.O. and La Clandestine after louching... Lucid’s good, but not the best
Aroma: I think it's acceptable, correct, good proper absinthe-- it's just a little undistinguished compared to the great ones, but there's nothing wrong with it. I didn’t catch any of the “funk” I’ve heard others report (admittedly my bottle is, at this point, quite well-aged though…).
Flavor/Mouthfeel: It's correct & proper-- I still like Lucid, even after trying several other varieties of Absinthe-- if it's got a flaw, it's that there's still a little more "burn" instead of "smooth" than I'd expect from a top-notch absinthe, and set next to Jade & La Clandestine-- two of the others I've tried-- it comes off as undistinguished, but only by comparison though. Still totally acceptable & nothing wrong with it – I’m tempted to give it a 4, but in the end I think 3.5 is the right spot.
Finish: The standard descriptor by the 3, "Lingers pleasantly, no outstanding characteristics." says it all-- nothing wrong, just not truly "outstanding".
Overall: It fits the 3 rating perfectly-- IMO, entirely acceptable and it's the very epitome of the proper mid-market standard.
Further comments:
As I've indicated previously-- I like Lucid, I'm going to keep drinking it occasionally, and when I finish this bottle, I'm going to buy another one. It's my standard, go-to, ordinary occasion Absinthe. It's my "I just want to enjoy sipping on a simple glass of absinthe at the end of a long day..." choice. I gave it the ratings I did because Lucid is the middle of the road standard: I'm well aware there are absinthes that are made better, are more complex, perhaps ultimately tastier-- and I plan to indulge in them when I can, whenever I want something good & complex; and definitely for special occasions. The existence of higher end absinthe doesn't change my decision that Lucid has a place in my liquor cabinet and at my table. However, since Lucid is readily available, it's also still my "baseline"-- I find Lucid fully acceptable, but any Absinthe that doesn't compare favorably with Lucid is unacceptable to me-- it is the basic standard that others must equal or exceed.
For those interested: I'm actually not quite sure of the exact water-to-absinthe ratio I use as a fractional measurement-- but I use the same glasses, I fill the reservoir with absinthe to the same line, I fill it to 1/2" from the brim with ice water every time I prepare absinthe, using a broullier or dripping over a spoon, with a sugar cube-- so I am consistent in my methods and amounts each time. And yes, I'm one of those who always takes absinthe with sugar by preference.
The appearance is natural, correct, clear, acceptable-- but IMO too pale for the 4 or 5 ratings.
Louche: well, it's a great Louche—I’m tempted to give it a 5, except that I've seen Jade N.O. and La Clandestine after louching... Lucid’s good, but not the best
Aroma: I think it's acceptable, correct, good proper absinthe-- it's just a little undistinguished compared to the great ones, but there's nothing wrong with it. I didn’t catch any of the “funk” I’ve heard others report (admittedly my bottle is, at this point, quite well-aged though…).
Flavor/Mouthfeel: It's correct & proper-- I still like Lucid, even after trying several other varieties of Absinthe-- if it's got a flaw, it's that there's still a little more "burn" instead of "smooth" than I'd expect from a top-notch absinthe, and set next to Jade & La Clandestine-- two of the others I've tried-- it comes off as undistinguished, but only by comparison though. Still totally acceptable & nothing wrong with it – I’m tempted to give it a 4, but in the end I think 3.5 is the right spot.
Finish: The standard descriptor by the 3, "Lingers pleasantly, no outstanding characteristics." says it all-- nothing wrong, just not truly "outstanding".
Overall: It fits the 3 rating perfectly-- IMO, entirely acceptable and it's the very epitome of the proper mid-market standard.
Further comments:
As I've indicated previously-- I like Lucid, I'm going to keep drinking it occasionally, and when I finish this bottle, I'm going to buy another one. It's my standard, go-to, ordinary occasion Absinthe. It's my "I just want to enjoy sipping on a simple glass of absinthe at the end of a long day..." choice. I gave it the ratings I did because Lucid is the middle of the road standard: I'm well aware there are absinthes that are made better, are more complex, perhaps ultimately tastier-- and I plan to indulge in them when I can, whenever I want something good & complex; and definitely for special occasions. The existence of higher end absinthe doesn't change my decision that Lucid has a place in my liquor cabinet and at my table. However, since Lucid is readily available, it's also still my "baseline"-- I find Lucid fully acceptable, but any Absinthe that doesn't compare favorably with Lucid is unacceptable to me-- it is the basic standard that others must equal or exceed.
For those interested: I'm actually not quite sure of the exact water-to-absinthe ratio I use as a fractional measurement-- but I use the same glasses, I fill the reservoir with absinthe to the same line, I fill it to 1/2" from the brim with ice water every time I prepare absinthe, using a broullier or dripping over a spoon, with a sugar cube-- so I am consistent in my methods and amounts each time. And yes, I'm one of those who always takes absinthe with sugar by preference.
M
Better Than You Might Think
Overall rating
3.3
Appearance
3.0
Louche
3.0
Aroma
3.5
Flavor / Mouthfeel
4.0
Finish
2.5
Overall
3.5
This is my first review, though not my first absinthe. Lucid's general status seems to be in the "damned with faint praise" category, so I'm interested in seeing how I score it out. Some things unrelated to score - I like the newest bottle design, the prior version with just the "cat's eyes" graphic has rubbed me the wrong way on viewing it. The new version, with a silver-and-green wormwood motif, with the cat's eyes still there but more subtle, is a big improvement, in my opinion. I'm using my second glass of the evening for the purposes of this review.
This bottle was opened yesterday, and it seems that on freshly opening a bottle I always get a strong whiff of alcohol. Having sat opened for a day, the aroma from the bottle is more anise-y and almost a caramel sort of scent. It smells sweet. Pouring it into a glass, the sweetness fades away and it's more anise and fennel. There is no "funk" coming from the bottle or neat from the glass.
APPEARANCE: No haze that I can see on raising the glass parallel to the light, but a somewhat pale, golden/honey color. It should be noted this bottle is from a holiday gift pack that had gone unsold in a local liquor store, so it's been sitting for at least 4 months. It's clean and attractive, but a little pale, overall.
LOUCHE: Not too thin, not too thick; I would not describe it as opalescent, but it's a bit one-dimensional. There's nothing terribly wrong with it, but also nothing outstanding.
AROMA: Not a hint of alcohol. Mostly dominated by anise and fennel, but there are some faint, trailing odors of flowers and pine. It's an attractive, enticing aroma; somewhat above average.
FLAVOR/MOUTHFEEL: Probably the area where I feel Lucid is strongest. The texture is very smooth, not at all oily or grainy, and is somewhat creamy - it feels good to move it over and around my tongue. The upfront flavor is dominated by anise and fennel, with some woody/flowery notes I'm not really able to properly identify, with some bitterness and peppery notes hitting later on. Very satisfying.
FINISH: Unfortunately, those bitter and peppery notes hijack the finish to a degree that seems excessive. There's some additional heat, here, as well. As good as this absinthe tastes, the finish is somewhat poor. Not enough to ruin it, but in my opinion it's a sub-par finish.
OVERALL: Overall, I feel this is a slightly above-average absinthe. It's not in the same league as the other, more highly-acclaimed absinthes I've had before it, but I think it deserves a little more acclaim than it gets. Lucid is one of the most widely-available absinthes in the U.S., and there are many other industries that would be lucky to have this "level" of product to be as good as this. It's not amazing, but it is a good, solid absinthe.
Review was done with a 4:1 ratio, with sugar.
This bottle was opened yesterday, and it seems that on freshly opening a bottle I always get a strong whiff of alcohol. Having sat opened for a day, the aroma from the bottle is more anise-y and almost a caramel sort of scent. It smells sweet. Pouring it into a glass, the sweetness fades away and it's more anise and fennel. There is no "funk" coming from the bottle or neat from the glass.
APPEARANCE: No haze that I can see on raising the glass parallel to the light, but a somewhat pale, golden/honey color. It should be noted this bottle is from a holiday gift pack that had gone unsold in a local liquor store, so it's been sitting for at least 4 months. It's clean and attractive, but a little pale, overall.
LOUCHE: Not too thin, not too thick; I would not describe it as opalescent, but it's a bit one-dimensional. There's nothing terribly wrong with it, but also nothing outstanding.
AROMA: Not a hint of alcohol. Mostly dominated by anise and fennel, but there are some faint, trailing odors of flowers and pine. It's an attractive, enticing aroma; somewhat above average.
FLAVOR/MOUTHFEEL: Probably the area where I feel Lucid is strongest. The texture is very smooth, not at all oily or grainy, and is somewhat creamy - it feels good to move it over and around my tongue. The upfront flavor is dominated by anise and fennel, with some woody/flowery notes I'm not really able to properly identify, with some bitterness and peppery notes hitting later on. Very satisfying.
FINISH: Unfortunately, those bitter and peppery notes hijack the finish to a degree that seems excessive. There's some additional heat, here, as well. As good as this absinthe tastes, the finish is somewhat poor. Not enough to ruin it, but in my opinion it's a sub-par finish.
OVERALL: Overall, I feel this is a slightly above-average absinthe. It's not in the same league as the other, more highly-acclaimed absinthes I've had before it, but I think it deserves a little more acclaim than it gets. Lucid is one of the most widely-available absinthes in the U.S., and there are many other industries that would be lucky to have this "level" of product to be as good as this. It's not amazing, but it is a good, solid absinthe.
Review was done with a 4:1 ratio, with sugar.
B
Great first bottle
Overall rating
4.0
Appearance
4.0
Louche
5.0
Aroma
4.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
3.0
Finish
4.0
Overall
4.0
Lucid was the first absinthe I purchased, and it got me hooked. After buying several more over the next year I began trying other absinthes. Still, Lucid is one of my favorites, and a great one to start with.
Appearance:
Intriguing bottle, it is always looking at you! Very light green, just enough to note it is not clear. Much lighter than most absinthe.
Louche:
This is one of my favorite louche effects. It will certainly surprise most people when the very light, nearly clear, absinthe turns a thick and cloudy white when adding water. It is a great effect, one of the best.
Aroma:
It smells like absinthe without the completely overwhelming anise, which I do not like.
Flavor:
Very good flavor. Depending on how strong your mix is you can choose how much flavor and warmth you want from it without losing the signature absinthe taste. Also good with sugar, but definitely not necessary.
Finish:
The finish is not too strong, but does give a lingering taste. Nothing note worthy about it, other than, again, being a great choice for a first absinthe.
Overall:
It is a great bottle to pick up, and is available much more than any other I have seen. Definitely worth a try even if it is more expensive than your average liquor. One of my personal favorites.
Appearance:
Intriguing bottle, it is always looking at you! Very light green, just enough to note it is not clear. Much lighter than most absinthe.
Louche:
This is one of my favorite louche effects. It will certainly surprise most people when the very light, nearly clear, absinthe turns a thick and cloudy white when adding water. It is a great effect, one of the best.
Aroma:
It smells like absinthe without the completely overwhelming anise, which I do not like.
Flavor:
Very good flavor. Depending on how strong your mix is you can choose how much flavor and warmth you want from it without losing the signature absinthe taste. Also good with sugar, but definitely not necessary.
Finish:
The finish is not too strong, but does give a lingering taste. Nothing note worthy about it, other than, again, being a great choice for a first absinthe.
Overall:
It is a great bottle to pick up, and is available much more than any other I have seen. Definitely worth a try even if it is more expensive than your average liquor. One of my personal favorites.
D