Color: I really liked the color to this one, reminds Me of a pre-ban like color, almost caramel look to it. Didn't give it a five though since it was almost brown though, not as "green" as it could be, but very attractive.

Louche: Awesome louche, from the slow oil trials to the billowing clouds rolling upwards from the bottom, nice and slow just how it should be. One of the best louches I've seen!

Aroma: Not over powering when first poured in the glass, and as soon as you start to louche it up, a wonderful spring-time essence mindful of the floral hills of California itself during that time. You can tell that it produced in that area.

Flavor: This one is really smooth, which I would contribute to the brandy base used. Starts off with a well balanced anise flavor, along with basil and tarragon giving it a "spiciness" to it; which I am a major fan of. Great mouth-feel, nice and thick across the pallet. I believe that is due to the brandy base used as well. The rest of the herbs used are not as detectable as other brands of absinthe I've tried, but still there.

Finish: Great finish, you can really pickup the lemon balm, light wormwood, and the stinging nettles here. Great after-taste, keeps you wanting more!

Overall: Really great for those wanting to try something different, and I think this shows how unique someone can get with absinthe. I wouldn't advise this one as a first timer's absinthe since it is quite different then most, but I don't think you can go wrong with this one. I will certainly keep a bottle of this on hand.

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]

Prepared 3:1 (water:absinthe) with one sugar cube on a slow drip.

The pre-louche color is a deep, rich jade. Well accomplished, to be certain. In examining the bottle there is a bit of visible sediment, which, for me personally, lends to the overall impression of this absinthe as a very ‘earthy’ creation.

The pre-louche aroma is fairly intense, with a fair bit of heat on the nose, but with some pleasant, readily detectable wormwood and an array of other herbs and spices. I wouldn’t describe these as ‘meadow herbs,’ per se, but the overall aroma is something more dark and earthy than woodsy. My guess is that the tarragon is a key component of this.

The louche was speedy, with some decent swirling, but a very quick dissipation – a little too quick for my taste. Nothing remarkable in this department, I’m afraid. The ending color is a decent milky green.

The aroma opens up a bit and softens, post-louche. Some of the more unusual herbs in this earthy concoction are then fairly readily distinguishable.

This absinthe has a truly unique flavor. While it is not at all traditional, it is definitely intriguing. The basil and tarragon are both definitely detectable (perhaps a little too much so), and unfortunately much of the wonderful wormwood I expected based upon the initial aroma gets lost amidst these other herbs in the tasting. Throughout the glass I kept wondering at a particularly mysterious herb flavor, which I could not place. It was almost musty, but not in a bad way. I don’t know how else to describe it other than truly unique, as I had not tasted this in any absinthe before (or in anything else, for that matter). After I finished the glass I went to the bottle to read the list of herbal ingredients – which, by the way, are conveniently printed in nice, bold font on the side of the bottle – in order to determine what this mysterious flavor was. The last herb listed there was ‘stinging nettle,’ and, since I am familiar with the flavor of all the other herbs listed save this one, I can only assume that the unique flavor of this verte comes from the inclusion of the nettle, in addition to the basil and tarragon. The overall flavor, after letting it sit on the tongue a bit, is somewhat rounded out with hyssop, lemon balm and star anise, but, again, the wormwood is buried, which to me is one of the primary faults of this absinthe.

The finish is, unfortunately, rather poor. The tongue-numbing is substantial – a little too substantial to warrant an acceptable rating in this department. The only thing I found at all pleasant about the finish was the aftertaste of that mysterious herb – presumably the stinging nettle. Personally, I found this intriguing enough for it to be enjoyable, despite the otherwise slightly over-heated and excessively numbing components of the finish.

In conclusion, though it certainly has its drawbacks, this is a truly unique absinthe, and worth trying at least once. For me the experience was enjoyable, and while I would not likely spring for a bottle, this seems like a verte that could be well enjoyed from time to time, simply for its unique – if not occasionally puzzling – attributes alone.

This is a really strange, but quite good, product. The bottle is beautiful, but the color could use some artificial coloring to hide its jaundiced verte status. The aroma is like an italian dinner and my very first sip was almost a spitter. However, by the time I finished the glass, and on subsequent glasses, I was thoroughly enjoying it. Many people find this to be the most interesting flavor at tasting parties, but enthusiasm for the second glass tends to be lacking. In general, nobody hates it, but people react either indifferently or love it. It is one I plan to stock regularly for the effect.



The louche is similar to most other brands, but nothing special or memorable. The flavor is hard to describe, but oregano or tarragon seems to dominate the palate. The flavor works in cycles more so than any other brand I've tasted. It starts with a slight anise, followed immediately by the oregano, and closure with the wormwood. Other flavors come and go and as far as mystic goes, this brand takes the cake. You will just have to decide whether mystic is all it's cracked up to be. The finish is superb, leaving the entire bouquet on the tongue with a gentle fade. Personally, I found this to be very good and enjoy it fairly regularly, but it is not typical of most absinthes out there.

Preparation
I filled my fountain with ice cold filtered water and ice, I gave the bottle a good half hour to breathe while I set up. I used a very slow drip of about one drop every two seconds. No sugar and I stopped the drip when I had a nice demarcation line of the of the Absinthe green on top. I then sped up the drip a bit until the line was gone, stopped the water and gave a quick stir.

Color Before Water
Murky at best, drab and disappointing. In the video located on the St. George web site - master Distiller Lance Williams says "it was either go for color or go for taste ~ I went for taste" I do admire him as an artist but take issue with his disregard for color. We dine and drink with our eyes as much as our bellies. Now maybe a disregard for the color of a Verte is easier, but easier doesn't mean better.

Aroma Before Water
I was a bit disappointed as it seemed weak and a bit off putting. Any trace of Anise is over shadowed by a "grassy" aroma, kind of like the way the smell of a fresh cut lawn would taste. The brandy base is nice and smooth - but any distinctive aroma seems hidden behind a heavy citrus note and the eclectic and unconventional assortment of herbs.

Louche
Sluggish, dull and in no way awe inspiring.

Aroma After Water
Faint and diluted. It's not offensive by any means but nor is it appetizing. The aroma seems to lack the fragrant bouquet I've found with most every Absinthe I've tried thus far from the Lucid to the Jades both the 1901 and the Edouard

Flavor
In my opinion the lemon balm is a too bright, I think of Absinthe as an Anise based drink but you really have to search your taste buds to find it. Perhaps Star Anise doesn't have the impact needed or perhaps the odd selection of herbs - especially the tarragon and Basil lend to it's unusual and to me anyway, off putting flavor. Mr. Williams attests that he's "not interested in Mass appeal and looks to find a small population of admirers for his new Absinthe" I certainly respect that, and have little doubt he'll find his fan base. What puzzles me is why, given the chance to produce one of the first legal Absinthe in the US one would choose to deviate so far from recipes that have defined Absinthe for centuries.

The Finish
Decent at best, a bit of a peculiar after taste, but the lingering notes of citrus are quite nice actually.An interesting drink no doubt - just not for me.

Final Impression
Great bottle, Great label and web site http://stgeorgespirits.com and although after a while it did grow on me ~ just not to the point I would buy it again. I think St. George will definitely find it's niche. It's a quality, well made product. Made with love and great affection. However it's attributes were lost on me. I'm sure St George will find it's place on the shelves of those who delight in unconventional - even odd offerings. I wish them luck