Duplais Blanche (US) - Reviewed by Experts and Consumers at The Wormwood Society
Product Details
Available in USA?
Style/Color
Degrees ABV (% alcohol)
Country of Origin
Distillery
Editor reviews
2 reviews
View most helpful
About As Blanche As Blanche Can Be
Overall rating
4.1
Appearance
4.0
Louche
4.0
Aroma
4.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
4.0
Finish
5.0
Overall
4.0
Appearance
Unlouched, crystal clear and contaminant free and just a little silvery. Louched, Nice milky white with just the barest platinum tinge.
Louche
A very nice blanche louche. Milky white with a platinum undertone and beautiful sheen. Translucent, but minimally so. Opalescence is somewhat restrained as a result.
Aroma
Neat, the grape base is quite evident, backed by a melange of very balanced herbals. Louched, a dark profile dominated by wormwood, pontica and other herbs. Anise and fennel are in a supportive role. In general, however, very balanced with nothing out of proportion. The more subtle complexities show themselves as it warms.
Flavor And Mouthfeel
Smooth, silky, and round on entry. And just like the nose, very balanced. Anise and fennel are set back just a bit, with all the “green” and “tan” stuff doing the heavy lifting. Focus is provided by a hint of spice/pepper/lemon/mint that works away especially at the edges of the tongue.
Finish
A nice slow bloom of pepper and spice, combined with an even slower bloom of the anethole sources, the first strong evidence of the anise and fennel. Seriously, these really do happen at two different paces. The wormwoods are really showing as it warms. Beautiful. This finish is what this absinthe is all about and it really gets 'er done. Fresh, clean, and very long. A great range of impressions, dark to bright. The entire palate is left with a fine powdery sensation with very gentle pull.
Overall Impression
A very nice, complete blanche with excellent mouthfeel. Solid. Just a little more impressive than some of the “la bleue” styles that rely a little too heavily on the anise/fennel combo. This is high quality and very clean. My favorite dilution is right around 4:1, but slightly lesser dilutions really provide some zing. While finishing up this review, I've been randomly searching some other things on the web for quite some time, and the finish is still hanging in there. That's pretty impressive.
I've commented two or three times in my reviews of vertes that some particular example should serve as the prototype. I've never done that with a blanche... until now. This is the mold, the model. The Venus de Milo, The Mona Lisa, The Persephone.
Done with a 1 ounce dose, diluted 3:1, 3.5:1, 4:1 and no sugar.
Absinthe Duplais Blanche 10/23/11, 4/21/12, 4/28/12, 5/25/12.
All evaluations had consistent notes.
Unlouched, crystal clear and contaminant free and just a little silvery. Louched, Nice milky white with just the barest platinum tinge.
Louche
A very nice blanche louche. Milky white with a platinum undertone and beautiful sheen. Translucent, but minimally so. Opalescence is somewhat restrained as a result.
Aroma
Neat, the grape base is quite evident, backed by a melange of very balanced herbals. Louched, a dark profile dominated by wormwood, pontica and other herbs. Anise and fennel are in a supportive role. In general, however, very balanced with nothing out of proportion. The more subtle complexities show themselves as it warms.
Flavor And Mouthfeel
Smooth, silky, and round on entry. And just like the nose, very balanced. Anise and fennel are set back just a bit, with all the “green” and “tan” stuff doing the heavy lifting. Focus is provided by a hint of spice/pepper/lemon/mint that works away especially at the edges of the tongue.
Finish
A nice slow bloom of pepper and spice, combined with an even slower bloom of the anethole sources, the first strong evidence of the anise and fennel. Seriously, these really do happen at two different paces. The wormwoods are really showing as it warms. Beautiful. This finish is what this absinthe is all about and it really gets 'er done. Fresh, clean, and very long. A great range of impressions, dark to bright. The entire palate is left with a fine powdery sensation with very gentle pull.
Overall Impression
A very nice, complete blanche with excellent mouthfeel. Solid. Just a little more impressive than some of the “la bleue” styles that rely a little too heavily on the anise/fennel combo. This is high quality and very clean. My favorite dilution is right around 4:1, but slightly lesser dilutions really provide some zing. While finishing up this review, I've been randomly searching some other things on the web for quite some time, and the finish is still hanging in there. That's pretty impressive.
I've commented two or three times in my reviews of vertes that some particular example should serve as the prototype. I've never done that with a blanche... until now. This is the mold, the model. The Venus de Milo, The Mona Lisa, The Persephone.
Done with a 1 ounce dose, diluted 3:1, 3.5:1, 4:1 and no sugar.
Absinthe Duplais Blanche 10/23/11, 4/21/12, 4/28/12, 5/25/12.
All evaluations had consistent notes.
M
User reviews
3 reviews
Overall rating
4.4
Appearance
4.3(3)
Louche
4.3(3)
Aroma
4.3(3)
Flavor / Mouthfeel
4.3(3)
Finish
4.7(3)
Overall
4.3(3)
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Duplais Blanche is Pretty Good!
(Updated: September 06, 2011)
Overall rating
4.0
Appearance
4.0
Louche
4.0
Aroma
4.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
4.0
Finish
4.0
Overall
4.0
Edited after 2 bottles with over a year of sampling. 4:1 is where I like it best.
I don't sugar blanches, and this certainly would be too sweet with sugar.
Color: Perfectly clear and sediment free
Louche: Slow forming clouds roll and build with a nice layer above. Almost opaque, but still had some light playing through it.
Aroma: A classic Swiss blanch character in the aroma, Anise and fennel and some light hint at flowers and herbs. During louche, it opened up a bit, but still not quite room-filling.
Flavor: If you like anise up front, you'll enjoy this. Sweet and delicious. The wormwood is there however, and just right for this profile. Nice baking spices in the mix as well.
Finish: A nice slow pull and steady build that adds more elements than the flavor, but just at the right time as to mingle with the flavor nicely. Pepper and citrus build and linger before fading slowly.
I don't sugar blanches, and this certainly would be too sweet with sugar.
Color: Perfectly clear and sediment free
Louche: Slow forming clouds roll and build with a nice layer above. Almost opaque, but still had some light playing through it.
Aroma: A classic Swiss blanch character in the aroma, Anise and fennel and some light hint at flowers and herbs. During louche, it opened up a bit, but still not quite room-filling.
Flavor: If you like anise up front, you'll enjoy this. Sweet and delicious. The wormwood is there however, and just right for this profile. Nice baking spices in the mix as well.
Finish: A nice slow pull and steady build that adds more elements than the flavor, but just at the right time as to mingle with the flavor nicely. Pepper and citrus build and linger before fading slowly.
S
The Perfect Blanche?
(Updated: April 17, 2010)
Overall rating
4.8
Appearance
5.0
Louche
4.0
Aroma
5.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
5.0
Finish
5.0
Overall
5.0
Color: Perfectly clear distilled blanche. Color is perfectly white when fully louched.
Louche: Nice complex oil trails followed by complex swirling cloud activity. Very good overall. Louche is not slow, but not so fast when compared to Kübler. Pleasing louche show for a blanche.
Aroma: Nice fresh anise and fennel, hints of vanilla. Other fresh herbs are present, the aroma is fresh and crisp. Bottle has strong odor of alcohol. Normal? It would seem so.
Flavor: A tad sweet. Does not need sugar. Complex fresh herbal background makes it quite special. Vanilla- or vanilla-like overtones would make it an excellent refreshment for summer days. Fine grape-based spirit seems a perfect complement for the fresh herbs. Simply excellent.
Finish: Absinthe Duplais Blanche is very special. The freshest herbs and vanilla- or vanilla-like overtones are combined with a nice grape spirit-base that causes no bad aftertaste. The finish matches the beginning and "middle:" simply refreshing, simply delicious, a very fine elixir indeed.
Overall: Can Absinthe Duplais Blanche be more excellent? I haven't experienced a better blanche, not even close. Thank you Duplais. If others know of a better blanche, then please tell us. At this time, I don't think it can get better than this. This gets my highest rating, except the louche is not quite as good as some "verte" styles that I've tried. No big deal there. Otherwise, it's five stars all the way.
Update April 16, 2010: I'm not changing my score, but I give this high marks mostly as a "dessert absinthe." It would go great with fine pastries. It is quite sweet and the taste of vanilla is undeniable. I might not give La Clandestine as high scores, but it would more likely be my go-to blanche for regular consumption. I'd prefer to save the Duplais Blanche for special occasions, when a "dessert absinthe" is desired; or when "sweets for the sweet" is in order.
Louche: Nice complex oil trails followed by complex swirling cloud activity. Very good overall. Louche is not slow, but not so fast when compared to Kübler. Pleasing louche show for a blanche.
Aroma: Nice fresh anise and fennel, hints of vanilla. Other fresh herbs are present, the aroma is fresh and crisp. Bottle has strong odor of alcohol. Normal? It would seem so.
Flavor: A tad sweet. Does not need sugar. Complex fresh herbal background makes it quite special. Vanilla- or vanilla-like overtones would make it an excellent refreshment for summer days. Fine grape-based spirit seems a perfect complement for the fresh herbs. Simply excellent.
Finish: Absinthe Duplais Blanche is very special. The freshest herbs and vanilla- or vanilla-like overtones are combined with a nice grape spirit-base that causes no bad aftertaste. The finish matches the beginning and "middle:" simply refreshing, simply delicious, a very fine elixir indeed.
Overall: Can Absinthe Duplais Blanche be more excellent? I haven't experienced a better blanche, not even close. Thank you Duplais. If others know of a better blanche, then please tell us. At this time, I don't think it can get better than this. This gets my highest rating, except the louche is not quite as good as some "verte" styles that I've tried. No big deal there. Otherwise, it's five stars all the way.
Update April 16, 2010: I'm not changing my score, but I give this high marks mostly as a "dessert absinthe." It would go great with fine pastries. It is quite sweet and the taste of vanilla is undeniable. I might not give La Clandestine as high scores, but it would more likely be my go-to blanche for regular consumption. I'd prefer to save the Duplais Blanche for special occasions, when a "dessert absinthe" is desired; or when "sweets for the sweet" is in order.
A
White Jade
(Updated: March 25, 2010)
Overall rating
4.3
Appearance
4.0
Louche
5.0
Aroma
4.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
4.0
Finish
5.0
Overall
4.0
Absinthe Duplais Blanche is a very enjoyable offering. From the bottle, it pours perfectly clear and attractive, and with the addition of water it slowly becomes a ghostly jade. The louche builds very deliberately, with "oil trails" like wisps of white smoke that at first vanish and then later thicken into a pearly fog. The final louche is silvery-white, nicely translucent, and remarkably attractive.
The aroma before water is mild and herbal; after water, it is much the same. It is so faint as to almost merit a '3,' but I could not call it "peculiar" or "unbalanced," so I awarded it a '4' though only just. The flavor is better, with intriguing notes of herbal bitterness. This is an absinthe I like to take my time with, so as to enjoy every subtle nuance.
The finish brings it all home, with an arresting spiciness building on the herbal foundation. The finish lingers pleasantly, with just a hint of numbing at the sides of one's tongue.
Overall, Absinthe Duplias Blanche is a winner. Though it lacks some of the complexity of the Duplais Verte, I nevertheless recommend it very highly.
The aroma before water is mild and herbal; after water, it is much the same. It is so faint as to almost merit a '3,' but I could not call it "peculiar" or "unbalanced," so I awarded it a '4' though only just. The flavor is better, with intriguing notes of herbal bitterness. This is an absinthe I like to take my time with, so as to enjoy every subtle nuance.
The finish brings it all home, with an arresting spiciness building on the herbal foundation. The finish lingers pleasantly, with just a hint of numbing at the sides of one's tongue.
Overall, Absinthe Duplias Blanche is a winner. Though it lacks some of the complexity of the Duplais Verte, I nevertheless recommend it very highly.
M