In my intro on the forum, I summed up some of my main objections to St George, and they haven't changed... to start with, appearance and louche: in its pre-louched, neat form, St George is too dark, and too brown/yellow, NOT in a "dead leaf" kind of way, but in a something else was used to color this that ain't quite right... it is natural, not artificial. It is distilled and then had a traditionally-accomplished coloring step.

It still reminds me of pictures of liquid chemical warfare agents (specifically mustard gas, in its liquid form) from WW 1.
Then, after louche-- it's one-dimensional. Chalky. Opaque, not translucent, and it's yellow-brown... like clouds of mustard agent floating across the battlefield in cool autumn weather. Sorry if those images disturb people, but I can't get them out of my head when I think about St George... The other way I can describe it is it's just like Pinesol (or other pine oil cleaner), before and after adding water (Pinesol "louches" into a chalky yellowish off-white too when it's mixed with water to form a diluted cleaning solution). It's not what proper absinthe should resemble.

And the aroma.... unfortunately, this goes right back to the chemical warfare associations (I'm an old Army veteran... too much training to forget this stuff)-- maybe it's the stinging nettles they use, but there's a peculiar sharp odor to St George that likewise has me thinking of the old manuals, that commented on the tell-tale odors that accompanied certain chemical agents. Appearance: 2 is for substandard. 3 for Louche is chalky, opaque and one-dimensional. 2 for Aroma is because (IMO) it's peculiar and unbalanced.

And it goes downhill from there-- 2 for Flavor/Mouthfeel is because it's highly flawed and I'm tempted to rate even lower, because St George is downright unpleasant tasting to me-- but I leave it with a 2 here and further, because it is distilled and traditionally made, and I can respect that-- but I guess I really question the choice of herbs distilled into this product and macerated for the coloration/additional flavoring step.
2 for Finish, because IMO it did linger quite unpleasantly. It took a lot of La Clandestine and Mansinthe to wash the nasty taste of St George out of my mouth on the one occasion that I broke it out and tasted it.
Overall: 2. I'm really not sure I should acknowledge it as barely acceptable, except that the makers took too much care in distilling and making it for me to put it rock-bottom with the crapsinthes. But I can't in good conscience rate it any higher-- I wanted to like this stuff, I usually have a high tolerance for some of the unusual and idiosyncratic drinks and desserts out there in other fields than absinthe... but St George is just plain nasty looking, smelling and tasting to me.

To each their own though-- there's a good friend o' mine, who took the rest of my bottle of St George home after we broke it out, because he likes the stuff....

colour is right, some golden reflections, ends gray green that is helluva opaque

Louche is THICK as hell, badiane excess's evident
Aroma:

Huh? Sage, pine, nothing like absinthe

Tasting:

Ewww, cloying, not alcoholic, but very grassy and heavy. There is everything we know from kitchen, but not from absinthe.

Interesting herbal liqueur, but too weird and too sweet for a herbal liqueur even. Have no idea whjat in reality it is

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