Appearance- A nice, light, slightly yellowish green.

Louche- Thick louche, can't see through the glass. As it louches it's a good display.

Aroma- Very much what I expect from a good, drinkable absinthe, although it didn't seem to fill the room during louche like others I've had. Very inviting when holding glass up for a drink. Slightly fruity and maybe a really subtle mint.

Flavor- After a bottle I consider this to be my standard against which all other absinthes shall be measured. It's not the greatest but it's very good. For me, just good/acceptable absinthe is often not really worth the price. This is. Not very or complex, but not lacking, like a sort of basic essence of what absinthe should probably be. Very fresh, again slightly fruity, nice balance of anise, and a little creamy. Good stuff.

Finish- Seemed really dependent on the water ratio, which is probably always true. I tend to enjoy the tongue numbness and with a low enough water ratio it delivered. No foul or 'off' after-taste of any kind, just a nice end to a pleasant drink. I believe I did notice the wormwood a bit more here.

This is the second absinthe I ever tried, and with the bottle's contents now dwindling, it's time to do a review. Reviewing this absinthe's history, there was a lot of praise early on, and then some seeming production problems with funky/veggie odors and tastes of the tails end of the distillate. I haven't noticed this issue with my bottle, so perhaps EP has rectified the issue with this absinthe.

APPEARANCE: Very pretty, a nice, slightly-lemony peridot, very vibrant and clear, no haze or debris whatsoever. Rotating the glass and exposing it to light reveals turquoise, lime and other colors to the eye. Certainly not too light, nor too dark, this is a very bright and attractive absinthe whose color is thoroughly natural in appearance.

LOUCHE: Not too thin but perhaps a bit too thick, some light does pass through the bottom of the glass but refractory elements are limited. There is a nice, red-orange line where light passes through at the very bottom of the glass, very reminiscent of fire opal. The final, louched glass is milky green that retains a good deal of depth and color. Aside from the reds and oranges noted earlier, however, there are no other refractory elements present.

AROMA: The aroma from the bottle is caramel, sugar, anise and some alcohol. Pre-louche, in the the glass, it's almost all alcohol. During the louche, the aroma blossoms nicely from the glass, and post-louche there is a nice mix of herbal scents. Anise and pine hit first, with subtle notes of lemon and mint, and a general floral quality weaving its way through and around the rest. No funk, alcohol or vegetable notes - very clean. It's not perfect, and could perhaps stand to have a bit more "oomph" to it, but it's a very refreshing and enticing aroma.

FLAVOR/MOUTHFEEL: Anise, piquant spice and a mild bitterness introduce themselves in that order. The taste is clean and light without being lightweight, and is refreshing. There are no tingles or prickles as of star anise and the flavors, while not particularly complex, are perfectly in tune with one another. No "off" tastes are present, nor candy-like flavors. Very enjoyable.

FINISH: Smooth at first, then some mild heat and mild bitterness, followed by a lingering sweetness and spice. Very mild numbing on the tongue, only noticeable if focused upon, and the pleasant aftertaste lingers for awhile and primes the palate in desiring another sip.

OVERALL: I feel fortunate that either this bottle is very old, or EP has fixed their problems with this absinthe. This is a very delicious absinthe and although it is not as complex and nuanced as some of the very best, it is still a very fine absinthe and one of my favorites.

This is the second absinthe I ever tried, and with the bottle's contents now dwindling, it's time to do a review. Reviewing this absinthe's history, there was a lot of praise early on, and then some seeming production problems with funky/veggie odors and tastes of the tails end of the distillate. I haven't noticed this issue with my bottle, so perhaps EP has rectified the issue with this absinthe.

APPEARANCE: Very pretty, a nice, slightly-lemony peridot, very vibrant and clear, no haze or debris whatsoever. Rotating the glass and exposing it to light reveals turquoise, lime and other colors to the eye. Certainly not too light, nor too dark, this is a very bright and attractive absinthe whose color is thoroughly natural in appearance.

LOUCHE: Not too thin but perhaps a bit too thick, some light does pass through the bottom of the glass but refractory elements are limited. There is a nice, red-orange line where light passes through at the very bottom of the glass, very reminiscent of fire opal. The final, louched glass is milky green that retains a good deal of depth and color. Aside from the reds and oranges noted earlier, however, there are no other refractory elements present.

AROMA: The aroma from the bottle is caramel, sugar, anise and some alcohol. Pre-louche, in the the glass, it's almost all alcohol. During the louche, the aroma blossoms nicely from the glass, and post-louche there is a nice mix of herbal scents. Anise and pine hit first, with subtle notes of lemon and mint, and a general floral quality weaving its way through and around the rest. No funk, alcohol or vegetable notes - very clean. It's not perfect, and could perhaps stand to have a bit more "oomph" to it, but it's a very refreshing and enticing aroma.

FLAVOR/MOUTHFEEL: Anise, piquant spice and a mild bitterness introduce themselves in that order. The taste is clean and light without being lightweight, and is refreshing. There are no tingles or prickles as of star anise and the flavors, while not particularly complex, are perfectly in tune with one another. No "off" tastes are present, nor candy-like flavors. Very enjoyable.

FINISH: Smooth at first, then some mild heat and mild bitterness, followed by a lingering sweetness and spice. Very mild numbing on the tongue, only noticeable if focused upon, and the pleasant aftertaste lingers for awhile and primes the palate in desiring another sip.

OVERALL: I feel fortunate that either this bottle is very old, or EP has fixed their problems with this absinthe. This is a very delicious absinthe and although it is not as complex and nuanced as some of the very best, it is still a very fine absinthe and one of my favorites.

Vieux Pontarlier seems like it could have been great absinthe that hits all the right notes and has a pleasant flavor. But there is a hint of an odor and flavor that I can only describe as a vegetal flavor mixed with “burnt rubber”. This being one of my First bottles I had to power through it and drank the whole thing, but I’ve later found out that this flavor is that of the “tails”.

For newcomers this is the bit of fluid at the end of the distillation, the “tail”. It shouldn’t be collected with the body of the distillation that is to be bottled, as it gives the Absinthe these strong vegetal flavors. Artichokes are the common descriptor used when trying to explain what the tails taste like.

This is definitely my favorite absinthe to date out of the 8 absinthes I have tried. It has everything I expect out of an absinthe without being overwhelming, and the effect from drinking it is the most "absinthe" type of experience I have had. It definitely gives a different feel from any other type of alcohol. As cliche as it may sound, it always gives me extremely vivid dreams as well.

Appearance:
Light green, but nothing special. Bottle looks a more vintage, but nothing special.

Louche:
Good louche, turns a pale whitish green. Stays thin looking, but you can definitely see the effect as you dilute.

Aroma:
Very good minty smell. Not too much anise, or any other smell, but a nice blend. Some may not appreciate the mellowness of it, but the characteristic notes are there.

Flavor:
This absinthe does a great job of blending the flavors without any being too pronounced. If you are used to a strong anise taste, you wont find it here. Minty flavor, but not overwhelming. Perfect for my taste.

Finish:
Leaves a nice feeling, thin, refreshing, and ready for another sip. No strong alcohol or anise aftertaste.

Overall:
I love this product. The only thing that really stands out to me is the different feeling from drinking it. This may sound like a negative, but it really does not suffer in any category. Everything is a perfect blend for a traditional absinthe. Smooth all the way through with an intriguing feeling afterwards.