Appearance: Valkyria has a clear and natural peridot green color whose only flaw is that it is more than a bit on the thin side.

Louche: This absinthe definitely louches. It both starts and ends strong, albeit a bit thick even at the proper ratio.

Aroma: The initial aromas are anise and fennel heavy which is a nice change. Wormwood, and lemon balm are in the background along with other herbs hiding a nice complexity. It certainly smells like a nice absinthe.

Flavor: This is an anise heavy absinthe with a sweet and floral background. The anise seems to be star anise which would explain the thick louche. Some slight peppery notes appear as well but they aren't too pronounced. There is also a bit of the “Matter” chalky texture to this as well.

Finish: The wormwood and other floral tones begin to show more in the finish as well as a ramping up of that “Matter” texture mentioned above.

Overall: This is a good absinthe. It's not overly complex but not lacking in depth either. I find it interesting that even though it fits within the realm of traditional style absinthes, that it has a character all it's own as well. A very nice start for Sweden. The flavor could be a little more balanced and the anise should switch to sweet anise if they are using star anise.

Appearance: The color is a natural green, but it's rather light.

Louche: This absinthe louched easily, and is perhaps a bit too thick. It maintains a nice color when fully louched, and has a lovely reddish glow.

Aroma: I really like the smell, wormwood and big anise scents with some mint.

Flavor: Really nice wormwood, paired with an overall cool and fresh flavor. It has a bright and silky flavor that's quite enjoyable.

Finish: Lots of length here, spicy and slightly citrusy.

Overall: A number of tastes and sensations with this absinthe reminded me of the characteristics of a few different high-quality absinthes I've tried, and it feels clear they did their homework in attempting to create a quality product. I think with some slight changes and adjustments this could become one of the great European absinthe offerings.