-Color-
Before Water: Pale, amber with just a hint of green. Perhaps on the side of too pale, but still vibrant. Most doses are perfectly clear, but some do have tiny specks of particulate.

After Water: The green comes out a bit more in a light lime straw hue. To me this is a perfect balance between opaque and translucent- truly opalescent, has a way of glowing with whatever light is in the room.

-Louche-
Trails are not thick, but finely detailed, forming mini layers of clear jellies. A slow forming, but well defined fog-bank displays a nice bit of bounce and grows at a perfect measured pace. With good light, I can actually see the louche action roiling away UNDERNEATH the fog at the bottom of the glass. From start to finish, the louche is on the delicate side- but in a complex and pleasing way.

-Aroma-
Before Water: A brisk sweetness with earthy, vaguely cinnamon notes.

After Water: The alpine briskness is here, but there are also fruity herbal notes and a big background of powdery floral sweetness that I believe comes from the hyssop. It’s clean, refreshing and rich all at the same time.

-Flavor-
Not knowing what Pacifique or what the Montpelier style tasted like before this release, I was expecting a wormwood bomb. However I was also surprised by the initially powerful and strident, yet paradoxically transparent anethole section of the trio.

With only a short period of breathing, the supporting herbal hymns and baby powder hyssop come forth. It is amazing how well balanced the ingredients are, yet I am constantly getting glints of nuances from each of the flavors. This is also one of the freshest, most “alpine” tasting absinthes I’ve had.

Not the creamiest mouthfeel, but very smooth and refined, it has more of a satin character. Seamlessly transitions into the softly dry finish.

-Finish-
The wonderful lingering finish caries the alpine and floral notes for a long time. Here the excellent wormwood blend is showcased not only as minty on the high end with a savory bitterness in the back, but also a tasty herbaceous quality right before the bitter kicks in.

-Overall-
A learned colleague of mine described this absinthe as elegant. I could not agree more- alpine elegance in a glass. With the possible exception of pre-ban vintage, it doesn’t getter better than this folks.

Notes: Various ratios from 3:1 to 4:1. Multiple glasses louched with fountain and brouille drips, as well as poors via sports bottle, carafe and pitcher; no sugar.

Color: Pacifique Absinthe Verte Superieure has a nice clear green color with yellow hints pre-louche; nice greenish opalescent color when louched, some pepper (?) sediment on top. Looks perfectly like a glass of fine, classic French absinthe.

Louche: Very nice oil trails take their time for a fine show. Once clouds start to form it louches quickly, but there's still some complexity there. Classic layer of clear green liquor on top of louche. Quite nice.

Aroma: Once you get passed the alcohol odor the "trinity" has a fresh fragrance. Other herbs are noticeable, too. Some pepper, light vanilla notes, add to a quality fragrance. Pacifique Absinthe Verte Superieure also contains angelica, coriander, hyssop, melissa and petite wormwood imparting a well-rounded herbal flavor.

Flavor: Nice grain spirit imparts no bad taste or aftertaste. "Trinity" is good and balanced, what most reasonable people would want from a French-style absinthe. Perfectly good, herbs taste fresh ... but could the "trinity" benefit from being be slightly stronger? I haven't tasted a better French-style verte, so I stand by my rating here.

Finish: Very fine, wormwood coats the tongue nicely but is not overwhelming. Other ingredients come together nicely. No ill aftereffects. Another good, clean grain spirit base that does not interfere with the stars of the show, the fresh herbs, some of which are allegedly organically grown at the distiller's estate.

Overall: Pacifique has earned a fan. I would like to have some of this on hand at all times. It is THE absinthe now commercially available in the USA that is closest to the true 19th century French style — and the herb complex is most fresh. "Il est sans parallèle." Once again, with this absinthe there is no hangover after drinking reasonable quantities because of "clean" quality of the grain alchohol base. Thank you Pacifique for a superior experience.

The color is that of natural lime juice. Natural and clear.

The aroma is inviting. Somebody worked hard on this one. The word elegant comes to mind. A warm rich anise, alpine florals and light spice. During the louche, it opens up, and the wormwood becomes more clear. Very nice.

The louche develops evenly and slowly, creamy greens and whites are lovely to watch. Modest trails give way to smoky clouds and billows in a slow dramatic display. A really lovely shade of creamy green that has just a slight translucency. Very pretty.

The flavor profile is well balanced and gentle, there is a lot going on in this absinthe. Nothing overpowers, all elements working together for a delicious experience. Soft quality wormwood, anise and fennel in harmony, with a light spice, and pepper on the edges.

Finish is very nice. Gentle floral and herbal elements, lingering fennel...Soft and sophisticated. It stays with you just right, with the gentlest of bitter, ending in a nice light powder that makes you want more.

I love that they use organic herbs, and grow much of their own. I have used Pacifique to introduce many to absinthe, and it has never failed to entice people to want to try more.

Color is a nice peridot

Louche is gorgeous and jewel like.

The neat aroma is balanced herbal and heavenly, louched it is still there but a bit subdued.

Flavor and finish are complex, balanced, and delicious.

overall. This is my favorite absinthe, the one I reach for by default, and the one I buy by the box full. I love the way it looks, smells, and most importantly, I love the flavor and finish on a hot summer day. I prefer it without sugar.

Color: Pacifique has a natural-looking peridot color that is a little bit lighter than what I believe could be considered 'perfect' for a verte. Nevertheless, it is very appealing, with no visible sediment nor much in the way of haziness. The green edges toward a golden straw color as it is louched.

Louche: Oily curls evolve into bell-shaped cascades about the time that the water-to-absinthe ratio reaches 1:1. After that, the bells thicken and blossom briefly into opalescent clouds which beatifully refract blue and green hues, remaining active until nearly 3:1. The entire process is engaging, but not easily seen without good lighting.

Aroma: The green anise in Pacifique is most notable for its restraint, with herbs such as fennel and coriander being more prominent. The overall aroma is complex but unified, with no simple scent of alcohol to distract from it.

Flavor: Pacifique has an excellent, well-balanced flavor. The bitterness of the wormwood and (to a lesser extent) the hyssop blends wonderfully with the comparitively subdued anise and fennel, with hints of melissa. There is a slight mintiness that I would also attribute to the hyssop, with coriander acting as the fulcrum over which the entirety hinges.

Finish: The mouthfeel leaves a pleasant aftertaste of coriander that lingers just long enough to make you want another sip.

Overall: Pacifique is a marvelous absinthe full of subtle complexity that I would heartily recommend to anyone. The fact that it is produced using organic botanicals is a testimony to the dedication to quality that is apparent in every sip. I've sampled this on three separate occasions over the past three days, and am still working on the full flavor profile, but that's partly because I'm new at tasting absinthe. To date, though, this is the best absinthe I've had, being noticeably better than Lucid and Obsello.