Color: Marteau starts off very beautiful. A deep yellow-green that is clear yet solid. A very nice almost precious stone look, as if it was jewelry in my glass.

Louche: The louche is wonderful when done properly with a slow cold drip. Anything other than that seemed to cause Marteau to be thin. It is also thin when a higher ratio is used. At 1:4 with an ice cold slow drip it louches like a dream though. Lots of oil trails dance around so it is wonderful to watch. One for sitting down and enjoying the experience, not a quick glass to pour.

Aroma: The aroma is nice, it can be smelled from a nice distance from the glass but doesn't fill the room. Marteau has a certain spice to it as well as the herbs. The aroma itself is complex which can be tasted later. Intentionally taking a whiff will get you some alcohol heat, but just letting the smell hit your nose is very pleasant.

Flavor: Wonderful flavor. This is herbal and spiced at the same time. With each sip I tried to pick out a new flavor, which is hard since it is so well balanced. At lower ratios it has some of that alcohol heat that you can smell which I prefer in my drinks. More water will bring out more flavors so adding more is not a bad idea for taste if you don't mind losing the alcohol flavor.

Finish: The finish is a cool finish with some dancing of the flavors but overall it is as complex as the initial flavor is and doesn't change much else. There is a nice numbing sensation just a bit. Not as much as some other absinthes but still nice.

Overall: This is a high quality absinthe with a wonderful taste and initial color. The louche is wonderful when done right but could use a bit more versatility. Aroma, Taste, and Finish are all done well which makes this absinthe a wonderful experience for the night.