INTRODUCTORY NOTE: Tasting samples were louched at 3.5:1 ratio, with ice-cold slow drip and sans sucre. I think it's important to note some discernable differences between this bottle and some previous batches reviewed at this and other sites, particularly color, and louche. See related sections below for more details.

COLOR: 3/5 - Neat, mossy brown. Much too dark for an appropriately colored verte fresh off the production line. Marketing images of this product led me to expect otherwise. This is certainly an issue which could be addressed to get higher marks. No sediment found in most doses.

LOUCHE: 3/5 - Mediocre. Verte green presents itself when louching. Some light oil trails, becoming thicker gradually to produce a louched glass that looks more waxy than cloudy. I had to use a VERY cold and VERY slow drip and was still unable to define a demarcation line of alcohol on top. I have seen others reviews of this product claiming both adequate and inadequate louche, which leads me to believe there may be some consistency issues with manufacturing.

AROMA: 4/5 - Complex! Some grassiness from quality hyssop - some chamomile presumably from the non-conventional presence of genepy. Strong wormwood front, backed by this wonderfully pleasant herbal bouquet, then fennel doux, and finally, waaay back there is the anise.No detectable heat. Neat aroma (does not affect score) has a bit of a medicinal smell, reminiscent of ripping into a sterile gauze package. This quickly fades with the addition of water to give a more enjoyable camphor-like tinge to the aroma.

FLAVOR: 4/5 - Lemon Balm. Honeysuckle. Mint. Light, crisp earthiness. This stuff has a lot going on, and is a real treat! Wormwood goodness with lots of balanced herbal nuances dancing across the tongue. Great tasting, exciting, flavorful drink. I think bolstering the flavor with a stronger anise presence would really put this one over the top.

FINISH: 3/5 - Very little numbing, less creamy than desired due to the somewhat thin louche, and indicative of low or weak anethole presence. Slightly oily feel on the tongue, which transpires into moderate dryness. There is then some noticeable heat on the back of the throat. This is nullified with additional water, but I would advise against that for the sake of sparing all other properties of the finish.

OVERALL: 4/5 - This is a very good introductory Absinthe, especially for those interested in expanding their familiarity with different flavor profiles, and how additional herbal qualities can affect the final taste. It is priced at a very attainable $55, setting a reference for products in this price point. This one does have a very appealing taste and aroma to it, but is lacking an impressive appearance and louche, and the finish could use more oomph. Some of these "flaws", if you can call it that, could be manufacturing-related (i.e. overheating the coloring vat, etc). There needs to be less tolerance for that type of production inconsistency. Attributing to the higher overall score is this amazingly beautiful bottle with glass cork, even though the brew is so dark that the printing on the bottle is rendered illegible.