Roquette 1797 - Reviewed by Experts and Consumers at The Wormwood Society
Product Details
Style/Color
Degrees ABV (% alcohol)
Year of Make (if known)
Country of Origin
Distillery
Editor reviews
This is my style.
(Updated: July 16, 2011)
Overall rating
3.8
Appearance
4.0
Louche
3.0
Aroma
4.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
4.0
Finish
4.0
Overall
4.0
The colour is clear peridot, very nice. There's a big, minty wormwood aroma with sweet anise underneath. Powdery and earthy.
The louche is very weak. Nice blue-green colour but very thin. With water it smells mostly of strong wormwood with some hyssop. Still earthy.
Powerful flavour, dominated by that minty wormwood. Not much anise, more hyssop. Much sweeter and less bitter than expected based on the herb levels. Screams to be paired with chocolate chip cookies. Very crisp.
There's a bitterness in the finish that rises from the depths and fades as the mintiness lingers.
This is my sort of absinthe, disregarding the louche. More wormwood, less anise. It's not what people think of as the classic absinthe flavour but it's exactly what I enjoy.
The louche is very weak. Nice blue-green colour but very thin. With water it smells mostly of strong wormwood with some hyssop. Still earthy.
Powerful flavour, dominated by that minty wormwood. Not much anise, more hyssop. Much sweeter and less bitter than expected based on the herb levels. Screams to be paired with chocolate chip cookies. Very crisp.
There's a bitterness in the finish that rises from the depths and fades as the mintiness lingers.
This is my sort of absinthe, disregarding the louche. More wormwood, less anise. It's not what people think of as the classic absinthe flavour but it's exactly what I enjoy.
A
The Horse He Rode In On
(Updated: April 28, 2023)
Overall rating
4.2
Appearance
4.0
Louche
4.0
Aroma
4.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
5.0
Finish
4.0
Overall
4.0
Color
Unlouched, a light green with an overtone which is more yellow than gold. Like peas and corn (with Gump accent). Crystal clear and clean, pleasing and very natural looking. Louched, better retention of the green than I expected, with a golden-yellow influence overall.
Louche
More translucent than most, lovely nonetheless. Very correct for this style of absinthe. Celery green, and an amber interior with myriad other subtle colors changing with light source and movement. Nice action while forming, due to a relatively high abv (75%), and restrained anethole. May not satisfy the "thick louche" crowd, but I like it very much.
Aroma
Very clean both before and after louche. Balanced slightly toward the herbal side, however the anise and wonderful fennel are present and in adequate support. A great wormwood, mint, and floral impression. Nice sense of hyssop and a very clean base. I really like this when it warms a little.
Flavor
A nice, dry, herbal impression up front. A.a., A.p., and hyssop in nice tandem, combined with a great combination of spice and dryness. Slightly more anise than the nose led me to expect, lends good balance with a slight impression of sweetness. Very clean, smooth mouthfeel. A little tingle and a slight mintiness are the icing on the cake.
Finish
Right in sync with the whole package. An initial sweet impression leading to the wormwood and other herbs, combined with a soft pull on the palate. Bright, fresh, and minty with a spicy tingliness that eventually segues to a slight astringency and powderiness. Long, satisfying, and enjoyable.
Overall
I like this one a lot. It's herbal, spicy, honest, and clean. Very absinthey. I really don't get all the comments I've read about this, for years now, referring to it as "medicinal". I suspect, however, that some of those comments result from mis-preparation. Because of the translucent nature of the louche, I think some are moved to under-water this. At lesser dilutions (under 4.5:1), it's my opinion that its herbal forward quality and the degree of alcohol combine to create that impression. One must remember this is an absinthe bottled at 75% abv. As such, it needs a good deal of water to bring it to a conventional final abv. At even 4.5:1, the final abv is 13.63%. I think this needs more like 5:1 - 5.5:1 (12.5% - 11.54%) to really show correctly.
So my suggestions to maximize your enjoyment with this one are; 1. Utilize icy cold water and a slow drip or pour to develop the best louche. 2. Watch your dilution ratio. 3. Let it warm a little to enhance the aromatics. 4. Giddyup!
Done with a 1 ounce dose, diluted 4:1, 4.5:1, 5:1, 5.2:1, 5.5:1, and no sugar.
Absinthe Roquette 1797, 3/03/10, 5/02/10, 11/12/10, 4/23/11.
All evaluations had consistent notes.
Unlouched, a light green with an overtone which is more yellow than gold. Like peas and corn (with Gump accent). Crystal clear and clean, pleasing and very natural looking. Louched, better retention of the green than I expected, with a golden-yellow influence overall.
Louche
More translucent than most, lovely nonetheless. Very correct for this style of absinthe. Celery green, and an amber interior with myriad other subtle colors changing with light source and movement. Nice action while forming, due to a relatively high abv (75%), and restrained anethole. May not satisfy the "thick louche" crowd, but I like it very much.
Aroma
Very clean both before and after louche. Balanced slightly toward the herbal side, however the anise and wonderful fennel are present and in adequate support. A great wormwood, mint, and floral impression. Nice sense of hyssop and a very clean base. I really like this when it warms a little.
Flavor
A nice, dry, herbal impression up front. A.a., A.p., and hyssop in nice tandem, combined with a great combination of spice and dryness. Slightly more anise than the nose led me to expect, lends good balance with a slight impression of sweetness. Very clean, smooth mouthfeel. A little tingle and a slight mintiness are the icing on the cake.
Finish
Right in sync with the whole package. An initial sweet impression leading to the wormwood and other herbs, combined with a soft pull on the palate. Bright, fresh, and minty with a spicy tingliness that eventually segues to a slight astringency and powderiness. Long, satisfying, and enjoyable.
Overall
I like this one a lot. It's herbal, spicy, honest, and clean. Very absinthey. I really don't get all the comments I've read about this, for years now, referring to it as "medicinal". I suspect, however, that some of those comments result from mis-preparation. Because of the translucent nature of the louche, I think some are moved to under-water this. At lesser dilutions (under 4.5:1), it's my opinion that its herbal forward quality and the degree of alcohol combine to create that impression. One must remember this is an absinthe bottled at 75% abv. As such, it needs a good deal of water to bring it to a conventional final abv. At even 4.5:1, the final abv is 13.63%. I think this needs more like 5:1 - 5.5:1 (12.5% - 11.54%) to really show correctly.
So my suggestions to maximize your enjoyment with this one are; 1. Utilize icy cold water and a slow drip or pour to develop the best louche. 2. Watch your dilution ratio. 3. Let it warm a little to enhance the aromatics. 4. Giddyup!
Done with a 1 ounce dose, diluted 4:1, 4.5:1, 5:1, 5.2:1, 5.5:1, and no sugar.
Absinthe Roquette 1797, 3/03/10, 5/02/10, 11/12/10, 4/23/11.
All evaluations had consistent notes.
M
Oh yeah, I like this one...
(Updated: May 13, 2009)
Overall rating
4.2
Appearance
4.0
Louche
3.0
Aroma
5.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
5.0
Finish
4.0
Overall
4.0
Color is a very appealing, natural looking light green. No sediment. Very bright.
Not surprisingly, the louche is slow to form and is rather thin upon completion. This was to be expected based on the producer's notes regarding the recipe. Using a glass dripper with crushed ice, I managed to take approximately 10 minutes or so to louche up. It's a nice ending color, but not very thick.
The aroma is exactly what I was expecting from a recipe that was more of a tonic than an aperitif. Quite medicinal and herbal with a bit of alcoholic heat. I might penalize a normal absinthe for the heat, but it seems to fit with what the producer wanted to do with it. I loved it. It covered the entire room with an herbal blanket.
The flavor is tough to beat. Some may not enjoy the powerful herbal flavor, but I for one find it simply decadent. It's complex yet well balanced. Nice and spicy with just a hint of sweetness. You'd be hard pressed to find an absinthe with as strong of a flavor as this one. It's wonderful.
Finish was a bit astringent (again not surprising) but still very enjoyable. Strong minty wormwood flavor at the back of the tongue with lots of other things dancing around.
Overall, I have to say that, even though I really enjoyed the original release of the 1797, this second version is leaps and bounds above it. Really a great job. Bravo.
Not surprisingly, the louche is slow to form and is rather thin upon completion. This was to be expected based on the producer's notes regarding the recipe. Using a glass dripper with crushed ice, I managed to take approximately 10 minutes or so to louche up. It's a nice ending color, but not very thick.
The aroma is exactly what I was expecting from a recipe that was more of a tonic than an aperitif. Quite medicinal and herbal with a bit of alcoholic heat. I might penalize a normal absinthe for the heat, but it seems to fit with what the producer wanted to do with it. I loved it. It covered the entire room with an herbal blanket.
The flavor is tough to beat. Some may not enjoy the powerful herbal flavor, but I for one find it simply decadent. It's complex yet well balanced. Nice and spicy with just a hint of sweetness. You'd be hard pressed to find an absinthe with as strong of a flavor as this one. It's wonderful.
Finish was a bit astringent (again not surprising) but still very enjoyable. Strong minty wormwood flavor at the back of the tongue with lots of other things dancing around.
Overall, I have to say that, even though I really enjoyed the original release of the 1797, this second version is leaps and bounds above it. Really a great job. Bravo.
User reviews
17 reviews
Overall rating
4.0
Appearance
4.0(17)
Louche
3.3(17)
Aroma
4.0(17)
Flavor / Mouthfeel
4.3(17)
Finish
4.1(17)
Overall
4.2(17)
Roquette in my Poquette
Overall rating
4.3
Appearance
3.5
Louche
3.0
Aroma
4.5
Flavor / Mouthfeel
5.0
Finish
4.0
Overall
5.0
This is one of my favorite absinthes. It has a very different nose and flavor from many anise-heavy (if not anise-overloaded) absinthes of modern manufacture. Upon opening the bottle, the scent of wormwood is very pronounced and pleasant. Rather than overwhelming, the effect is alluring and intriguing like incense.
I don't put much value on louche. The more anise, the denser the louche, and the more exciting to watch it form (depending on what excites you). Compared to others, this absinthe has a light, unexciting-to-watch louche because there is less anise. Big deal. I have lava lamps for that.
On the tongue the wormwood becomes regal and dominates easily, while the anise/fennel flavors follow it at a respectful distance, in perfect compliment, like footmen carrying the monarch's train. Tasting this was a very enjoyable drinking experience, all the way to the last few sips.
I don't put much value on louche. The more anise, the denser the louche, and the more exciting to watch it form (depending on what excites you). Compared to others, this absinthe has a light, unexciting-to-watch louche because there is less anise. Big deal. I have lava lamps for that.
On the tongue the wormwood becomes regal and dominates easily, while the anise/fennel flavors follow it at a respectful distance, in perfect compliment, like footmen carrying the monarch's train. Tasting this was a very enjoyable drinking experience, all the way to the last few sips.
M
Taste of 1797
(Updated: May 28, 2014)
Overall rating
3.3
Appearance
3.5
Louche
4.0
Aroma
4.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
3.0
Finish
3.0
Overall
2.5
Color is a nice, clear peridot. Nothing too striking but quite proper. For the amount of alcohol present, the neat aroma is surprisingly not as overpowering as one would expect with the unmistakable scent of Pontarlier wormwood right up front. The louche forms nicely and results in something thick and lovely. The taste itself if earthy, woody, powdery... lovely bitter wormwood. In fact, I taste lots of wormwood the first few sips - but things become more balanced and sweet as the glass goes on. The flavor is quite enjoyable and fun to explore seeing as how it does tend to shift somewhat over the course of a glass... an adventurous spirit :)
I do perceive where many of these reviews detect a "medicinal" quality to this absinthe. It is there... but I don't find it distracting at all. I'd like to view this aspect to be more of a wild or untamed attribute to this particular brand.
5/28/14 update: Seems I've gotten a bad bottle for my second. I've taken down the scores for flavor and finish, and the overall score has been lowered significantly. I wouldn't buy another bottle until we are assured that the problems with Roquette batches has been sorted out. A real shame :(
I do perceive where many of these reviews detect a "medicinal" quality to this absinthe. It is there... but I don't find it distracting at all. I'd like to view this aspect to be more of a wild or untamed attribute to this particular brand.
5/28/14 update: Seems I've gotten a bad bottle for my second. I've taken down the scores for flavor and finish, and the overall score has been lowered significantly. I wouldn't buy another bottle until we are assured that the problems with Roquette batches has been sorted out. A real shame :(
J
Absinthe's Past is Showing
Overall rating
3.8
Appearance
4.5
Louche
5.0
Aroma
4.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
3.5
Finish
3.0
Overall
3.0
Appearance: A near perfect but deep and dark peridot color. Very clear and pristine appearing.
Louche: There is a large variance inn hue once the louche is finished. The louche ends at a perfect translucence and displays many hues in the light as well as large light blue bands at the edges.
Aroma: Mint, anise, and a very menthol smelling wormwood are very pronounced alond with notes of petite wormwood and hyssop. The scent fills the immediate air and it is very sweet smelling on the scent-finish. The menthol note makes it smell a bit heavy and medicinal as well.
Flavor: The menthol wormwood, mint, and hyssop burst forth. There is a smooth texture and some spice notes from heavy pontica use as well. The medicinal camphor is distracting and this absinthe might benefit from a higher dilution and sugar use for those who don't normally do so.
Finish: Bitter and lingering flavor that leads to a sweeter anise finish. It's slightly astringent and feels crisp as well as lasting a long time. Once again the medicinal feel is distracting.
Overall: The medicinal nature hurts this otherwise excellent and quality absinthe. It's certainly an absinthe with character and bound to polarize people into love it or hate it camps. I personally like it a lot but it is not your typical commercial offering at all.
Louche: There is a large variance inn hue once the louche is finished. The louche ends at a perfect translucence and displays many hues in the light as well as large light blue bands at the edges.
Aroma: Mint, anise, and a very menthol smelling wormwood are very pronounced alond with notes of petite wormwood and hyssop. The scent fills the immediate air and it is very sweet smelling on the scent-finish. The menthol note makes it smell a bit heavy and medicinal as well.
Flavor: The menthol wormwood, mint, and hyssop burst forth. There is a smooth texture and some spice notes from heavy pontica use as well. The medicinal camphor is distracting and this absinthe might benefit from a higher dilution and sugar use for those who don't normally do so.
Finish: Bitter and lingering flavor that leads to a sweeter anise finish. It's slightly astringent and feels crisp as well as lasting a long time. Once again the medicinal feel is distracting.
Overall: The medicinal nature hurts this otherwise excellent and quality absinthe. It's certainly an absinthe with character and bound to polarize people into love it or hate it camps. I personally like it a lot but it is not your typical commercial offering at all.
E
Bold and complex - a great change of pace
Overall rating
4.0
Appearance
4.0
Louche
3.0
Aroma
5.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
4.0
Finish
4.0
Overall
4.0
*Received as sample in absinthe explore set from absinthes.com
Appearance - Clear, attractive, and natural. In fact, it was the most obviously "natural" color among our samples - there is nothing artificial about its appearance.
Louche - While pleasant enough, Roquette doesn't put on the spectacular show that some of the other samples provided. However, once louched, it was correct in appearance: not too opaque or translucent.
Aroma - This was the point when we knew we had something special. The aroma of the herbs in perfect balance filled the entire room. As soon as the water hit the absinthe, it was as if we had fallen into an herb garden.
Flavor - Extremely interesting. This is not what we had pictured when we thought of "absinthe" (wormwood and anise). This is much more complex with many more colors going on aside from the usual suspects. To be so rich and complex, it is extraordinarily well-balanced. There is nothing that stands out too much and overshadows the other players - everything complements the product as a whole.
Finish - Long-lasting and pleasant herbal finish. It definitely adds to the experience.
Overall - Of our ten samples, this was the favorite. Although it was vastly different than the other absinthes, there was something "extra" with this one. It is definitely not typical or pedestrian, but truly felt artisanal as opposed to a mass produced product. This will definitely have a home in our collection.
Appearance - Clear, attractive, and natural. In fact, it was the most obviously "natural" color among our samples - there is nothing artificial about its appearance.
Louche - While pleasant enough, Roquette doesn't put on the spectacular show that some of the other samples provided. However, once louched, it was correct in appearance: not too opaque or translucent.
Aroma - This was the point when we knew we had something special. The aroma of the herbs in perfect balance filled the entire room. As soon as the water hit the absinthe, it was as if we had fallen into an herb garden.
Flavor - Extremely interesting. This is not what we had pictured when we thought of "absinthe" (wormwood and anise). This is much more complex with many more colors going on aside from the usual suspects. To be so rich and complex, it is extraordinarily well-balanced. There is nothing that stands out too much and overshadows the other players - everything complements the product as a whole.
Finish - Long-lasting and pleasant herbal finish. It definitely adds to the experience.
Overall - Of our ten samples, this was the favorite. Although it was vastly different than the other absinthes, there was something "extra" with this one. It is definitely not typical or pedestrian, but truly felt artisanal as opposed to a mass produced product. This will definitely have a home in our collection.
M
Surprisingly Great
Overall rating
4.4
Appearance
4.0
Louche
4.0
Aroma
5.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
5.0
Finish
4.0
Overall
4.0
Color- Inviting peridot. A tad too weak but attractive.
Louche- Not too many oil trails but more of a slow transformation of cloudiness with a sizable miniscus until about a 2:1 ratio. Correct opalescense when fully louched.
Aroma- Very rounded aroma of Wormwood & fennel. Multi-layered with herbacousnes that's covered with powdery hyssop and other herbs that I can't decipher. Interestingly, this reminds me a lot of PF 1901.
Flavor- Rounded just like the aroma. Expansive in the mouth. Wormwood and hyssop mix with flavors that are carmely and woody. Full bodied and balanced with nuanced flavors.
Finish- A bit of alcohol heat with the wormwood bite. Anise lens it's presence towards the end of the finish.
Overall- It appears to me that although almost everyone can agree that it's a well made absinthe some just don't like the flavor profile. I happen to enjoy it a great deal.
Louche- Not too many oil trails but more of a slow transformation of cloudiness with a sizable miniscus until about a 2:1 ratio. Correct opalescense when fully louched.
Aroma- Very rounded aroma of Wormwood & fennel. Multi-layered with herbacousnes that's covered with powdery hyssop and other herbs that I can't decipher. Interestingly, this reminds me a lot of PF 1901.
Flavor- Rounded just like the aroma. Expansive in the mouth. Wormwood and hyssop mix with flavors that are carmely and woody. Full bodied and balanced with nuanced flavors.
Finish- A bit of alcohol heat with the wormwood bite. Anise lens it's presence towards the end of the finish.
Overall- It appears to me that although almost everyone can agree that it's a well made absinthe some just don't like the flavor profile. I happen to enjoy it a great deal.
A