Appearance: Very deep color, clear and natural. Almost a topaz (but still slightly green,) understandable from the barrel aging.

Louche: The louche was very thick and creamy (almost TOO thick) with nice layering for a long time. I've gotten better results with the louche going a bit faster. Very deeply colored: buttery and slightly green, orange and moon highlights. Extra iridescent.

Aroma: Very floral wormwood, minty and peppery, with a balancing sweetnexx, fennel, but not much anise to be found.

Flavor: REALLY excellent wormwood profile with enough anise and fennel to support it (but definitely doesn't balance the wormwood.) Peppery and sweet, and very herbal (almost leafy.)

Finish: Not as dry as I expected...it has a very lengthy fennel and orange flavor (aside from the continuing wormwood punch.)

Overall: I was very surprised at how fresh all the elements taste...it's hard to imagine these herbs being aged for so long. Very, very enjoyable and delicious.

Color: A deep yellow chartreuse color. Dark, heavy, and strong but still clear.

Louche: Slow to start with nice layering. Ends up thick and still retains quite a bit of the original color. Nice blue hue towards the edges of the glass though. Very thick, but still pretty.

Aroma: Wormwood forward and this one really opens up at higher ratios. Not an overly strong smelling absinthe but that's not a bad thing. The aromas are more of a wormwood and fennel combo that appears light on the anise despite the thick louche.

Flavor: A showcase of some good wormwood. Very unique in it's taste. A smooth and round texture comes out as well. This is a very sweet absinthe so no sugar is needed for my taste. Hints of citrus and even something almost like sage interplay. Delicious, complex, and thankfully different.

Finish: Surprisingly the wormwood ramps up then dies off a bit early leaving a vanilla finish with a slight pop of spice as well. Very nice change from the flavor and again, really smooth.

Overall: The maturation has a nice effect in smoothing the taste. This is a wormwood showcase with a complex layer of flavors just underneath. The smoothness makes this one go down really easy, and my first glass was empty a bit too soon. Overall Sauvage is a pleasure and well worth the wait.

Sampled over several days at 3.5:1, and 4:1, with and without sugar. This review is written at 3.5:1 with 1/2 sugar, where I enjoy it best.

It's appearance is attractive, natural and clear, with a light yellow/green hue. As it is aged 18 months before bottling, this may account for the ever so slightly yellower cast to the color neat than I've seen in other Pernot offerings.

Its louche develops slowly and evenly with a steady build. There is nice smoke and fog action, and a clear distinct layer that disappears right at about 3.5:1. The final louche is pretty, opalescent, and has a color that is a mix of whites, greens and coppers. It is not as thick as some others, but is perfectly acceptable. I prepared this several ways: a fountain with a steady drip, an auto-verseur, and a single-hole glass brouilleur with a steady thin stream. In all these cases, the louche formed evenly and was just slightly translucent.

Sauvage's aroma is so promising. It is fresh, crisp, herbal and clean. There certainly is an alpine personality here. I detect more anise and fennel in the aroma than in the flavor, which is fine, as when drinking, the aroma supports the absinthe so well. It is an elegant and gentle aroma, yet has the promise of something spirited within. It was room-filling as water was added.

Its flavor is all about the wild-harvested wormwood; it is feral, clean and crisp, but also round and mellow. Perhaps this is due to the aging. There is an insistent pleasant bitterness that does not overwhelm, but I find 1/2 a sugar cube supports the absinthe well without changing its spirit and personality. The other elements reveal themselves behind the wormwood, in a clear, well thought-out supportive role.

The finish is wonderful. A quick build of spice, then a ballooning of florals and citrus. It lingers nicely, then starts to fade. However, just as you think it's over, there is a secondary, lesser bloom of citrus and pepper that is literally mouth-watering. At 3.5:1, the mouthfeel is rich and satisfying, It thins out a bit at 4:1, but I prefer this absinthe stronger, and thus rated it a 5.

I absolutely love this. For wormwood-forward fans, it's a must.