This review is based on bottle opened two weeks ago by someone else...I was a bit late on tasting it myself. It was prepared 3:1 sans sugar.
Color- Kind of an unusual color here, atl least comapred to what I’m used to so far. Kind of a brownish yellow. I had a comparisson but because I enjoy St. George it was less than favorable. I assume the color is due to the brandy since it has a dark murky tone to it.

Louche- A nice louche here. It starts with some billowing white clouds
and some nice fluid oil trails. The full louche seemed to come at about 2:1. And the color is much improved. It turns to a more traditionally expected milky green. When held against natural light I noted some shades of yellow, green and brown flowing in the light against the milky white backdrop of the louche. Very attractive.
Aroma- Very very bad representation of this absinthe. There is a decent mixture of herbs but I continually take in a fake "plasticy" cinnamon-like smell. This may be to the extensive amount of herbs used.

Flavor- The taste was pretty unexpected. Much more enjoyable than the smell led me to expect. It starts off tasting like a anise’s spicier-feistier lil brother and continues with a sweet wash that is almost citrusy with a light wormwood bitter feel on the back of the tongue.
I’m not sure what stinging nettle is ut I have a feeling it helps the herbs like basil play off of the wormwood bitterness and keep a nice even flow between with the sweet anise and brandy flavors. I’d imagine this is what an Italian restaurant would serve if Absinthe became more common place, it seems as though it would go great with a nice zesty pasta.
Finish- Basil fennel and wormwood work beautifully together ending the drink with a spicy warming bang. There was a it of tongue numbing with the finish but with the spiciness of the herbs it actually seems enjoyable..Welcome even.
Overall- This a good American offering. IF you know anyone who says that there are no good Absinthes distilled in America pour them a glass of St. George, they’ll thank you. I’ve heard it sai and I must agree that this is quite an unusual absinthe. It may be a bit spicy for some, but regardless I think it’s worth a try I will definitely keep it on my good list.

I found this absinthe on sale for 55$ at my local wine shop and decided to give it a try. I was extremely pleased! Great Flavor, Louche and color for a verte! Not to mention it is made in the good old US of A! What else could you ask for from an alcoholic beverage? This blows Lucid, Grande Absente, Le Tourment and Kubler out of the water. Give it a shot, it wont disappoint...and if it does, move to France and change your name to Pierre.

[editor's note- removed needless disparaging remarks about other brand]

I've tried this Absinthe on 2 occasions now, unfortunately neither of which was particularly suited to contemplation, so please take this review for what it is worth.



Among the Absinthes I've tried so far, I will give it a 4-ish. Not the best, but well among the upper-mid Absinthes.



The color is on the brown-green side and I find a stronger green more appealing. The Louche is nice, but not as creamy as some of the others I have tried. The best feature is the aroma. Fills the room with a floral complex bouquet. The flavor is spicy and interesting. On the modern side, with the emphasis on the Star Anise and unusual herbs. It is very well distilled on a pleasant and smooth brandy base. Not harsh at all, making it a bit dangerously enjoyable at a 2 or 3 water to Absinthe ratio.



Reading the details of the "overall" criteria, I have to give it more of a "Shows Promise" than an "Almost Perfect", with the caveat that I would like to enjoy it in a more contemplative setting to properly appreciate and evaluate its qualities. I do stronly agree with Shabba, that this is an interesting and unique start for Absinthes produced in the US.

Color- Light brown, looks slightly like watered-down brandy. Darker then any absinthe I've seen. No sediment. Probably not to everyone's liking but I think it's pretty nice.

Louche- Thick, swirling clouds developing from the top. Thin meniscus lasts till about 1.5 OZ of water.

Aroma- Very very bad representation of this absinthe. There is a decent mixture of herbs but I continually take in a fake "plasticy" cinnamon-like smell. This may be to the extensive amount of herbs used.

Flavor- Much improved over the aroma. Anise starts off on the tip of your tongue and a multitude of vegetable spiciness coats your mouth during the finish. A bit of wormwood pinch at the end. I like this.

Finish- Basil, fennel and a mixture of other herbs are present. There is a bit of tongue numbing and the finish is VERY savory. Kind of like a quality mixture of spices on a roast. What didn’t work well for the aroma and flavor worked perfectly for the finish. Very long. I’m impressed.

Overall- This is a good American-made absinthe. It is very unique and the flavor profile is creative. However, this stuff is way overpriced compared to other offerings available on the internet. If you find it for a good price add it to your cabinet.

EDIT: After sampling this more, I raised the finish to a 4.


The color was bit dark..a medium/dark olive oil green. When louched, it was a bit of murky yellow/white with a drab hint of green. Thick.

Louche was interesting, but very fast. Strong trails were quickly obscured by clouds that went to a thick heavy solid very fast. Like watching a great louche in fast motion.

Aroma...strong Italian herb up front...basil? Sage? I'm guessing basil. A nice floral element, but I had to hunt for the subtler details. Also an edge of citrus (a soft lemony trace?) Before louche, a strong alcohol up front.

Flavor was interesting. Different, yet drinkable. The anise was a bit too sweet for me, and again I got the feel of basil. There is a slight sour citrus edge as well...again that soft buttery lemon... This isn't going to be for everyone. My guess is you'll like it or you won't. I'm struggling on a 3 or 4 here, I'm going with a 3 because it isn't bad, but it isn't great. There can be conceptual variances in absinthe as long as they aren't ugly. I personally find the basil edge a bit much, and there's almost a dentyne gum flavor (am I dating myself?) a spicy cinnamon edge aftertaste that is a bit too much. Hey...it's a big world.

The finish was not as long or interesting as I'd like. Just a tingle on the tongue,
strong anise, spices, and again that tang of citrus. The finish was one of its highlights

Overall, I missed the lovely alpine aroma and herbs I've come to love in other absinthes. These were replaced by that Italian herbal edge. Not bad at all, just not what I would reach for on a regular basis. Bear in mind, as an apperitif, it might go wonderfully with certain food flavor profiles.