I received a bottle from France and eminently enjoyed it: it is certainly the best Absinthe I have had the pleasure to try.



The colour is delicately and subtle. The aroma is robust and the flavor and finish are distinctively brilliant. Outstanding in all respects.



Unlike most, I have not penalized Roquette for its subtle louche. Having grown in a country where the staple drink is Ouzo, i.e. a louche a merry-go-round, it is not clear to me why a blatant louche is desirable over a gloriously understated one!

Having missed the first batch of 1797 to be produced, I wanted to make sure I got a bottle this time - and I'm very glad I did. Keeping in mind that this absinthe is supposedly from a very old recipe, when absinthe was more of a tonic rather than an aperitif, I was expecting something fairly medicinal and not very complex. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this absinthe has a lot to offer.



The neat color was a bright green. Louche is delicate and takes a while to develop properly. Make sure the water is very cold, and use a slow drip or you'll end up with a weak louche. At 3:1, I got a nice, opalescent louche with very complex aromas that filled the room -- anise, fennel, wormwood, and a bit of citrus.



The flavor is slightly medicinal and I can detect the wormwood quite easily. There seems to be a good balance of fennel and anise, and a bit of mint, spice and citrus. It also tastes a bit "green". The mouthfeel is round and full. This was a very enjoyable absinthe. One of the best I've had.

This absinthe has undergone a remarkable transformation from the original version. The remarkably complex spicy flavor is still there, but it's much more balanced, and smooth than its predecessor. There is no longer a metallic, or burnt edge, and the louche is fuller (although patience is needed, and I would a suggest somewhere around a ten minute drip to achieve a decent opalescent, but not really thick or creamy louche).



There is definitely more than a tangential resemblance between the Marteau Verte Classique, and this 1797...the unusual herb profile bears this out...the differences are the following...the Marteau is brighter, overall, but also a little sweeter on balance (befitting an ideal absinthe cocktail mixer), while the Roquette is a little drier (and more minty/bitter, reflecting its more wormwood-based origins). Bottomline, both are wonderful!