Color: A really great, clear olive.

Louche: Very oily and wavy when water is dripped, but I wish the louche built much slower...it's over much too fast. The louched absinthe is a nice thickness, mostly pale green with a very slight golden glow.

Aroma: Easily distinguishable sweet anise, a hint of fennel, and clean, bold wormwood. This is my most favorite wormwood from any region in the world.

Flavor: The taste, especially of the wormwood is wonderful and not at all out of balance. It's cool and crisp (I think due to the coriander.) The flavor is so simple, without any unnecessary elements, and so complete and rounded that I can't discern any way it could be improved.

Finish: Sweet and spicy anise tingle with a slight melissa flavor, in addition to the ever-present wormwood. This lingers for a long time.

Overall: Typically I go for absinthes that do something a little different, and branch out into creative variations built upon a solid absinthe foundation. Ridge is perfect in its simplicity and does need any additional bells and whistles to stand out. This is easily one of my favorite absinthes on the market today.