Obsello 2

[Green Baron]

Nice post, glad to see it's maturing well for you SC! My earlier post about breathing was inspired in part by your earlier reaper

 

Give me a hint if I sound like a broken record, but to me breathing is super important. The maturity of a bottle of absinthe at time of purchase is completely out the absintheur's control (or awareness if there's no bottling date) and can depend on many factors at the producer's and the retailer's ends. Maybe everyone already knows this but in the pre-ban days the grande marque absinthe producers aged their absinthe for significant periods of time before shipping. Nowadays, as much as most respectable artisanal absinthe producers would like to age their product beforehand, many must ship soon after distilling in order to stay afloat (at least until they start to become well established). Many of my favorite absinthes were a bit "green" and slightly disappointing at first but a few weeks (in some cases months even) is often what was needed for them to transform into the flavorful splendors they were meant to be.

[Ambear]

"BULLSHIT lady! That ain't no damn Obsello!"

 

[Obsello]

The aroma right off the bat during louche was Ridge Verte. I could smell the alpine goodness that I KNOW is Ridge. The louche was thick and beautiful. Wife shakes head . I smell some more, take a sip. Aha! says I. That is Marteau. I smell the orris and know that's it. Wife again. I name off something else and again get shot down. Finally she says Obsello. To which I lovingly replied, "BULLSHIT lady! That ain't no damn Obsello!"

 

Thanks for the info Songcatcher. I really appreciate it.

 

If I may offer a plausible explanation to your confusion. Try to remember what the last thing you ate/drank/smoked was that day. I find certain foods, drinks, cigars, can totally change my palette for up to 10 hours. Just my 2 cents.

 

Cheers,

Bryan

 

P.S. Some of the Spanish Obsello was 2+ years old by the time the bottles got to you. A bit of breathing time wont hurt anything.

[Brian Robinson]

Review Page added.

[SethP]

Any distribution of Obsello II to Europe (EU), preferably to an online vendor? Or could it perhaps be something coming?

[-TJ-]

I've had a bottle of this for about 2 months now, and I really like it. The rum base really gives it a uniqueness that I enjoy, and is a nice contrast to my other absinthes. I'm looking forward to sitting outside on a nice summer night and sip away. Of course this means I'll need to order more soon, but one can never have enough, or have too many bottles in the collection...

[Mephistopheles D Grimm]

I love rum, so I can't wait to see how good this tastes. Best wishes!

[Ambear]

It's inexpensive too, so drink up!

[greytail]

Why's the rum gone mate?

[Joe Legate]

Of course this means I'll need to order more soon, but one can never have enough, or have too many bottles in the collection...

Be careful what you wish for. You'll need to remodel your house before you know it!

[brucea]

Heading to DUNY to buy a bottle this afternoon.Looking forward to trying the new formula

[brucea]

I did get that bottle DUNY was closed so another Brooklyn carrier. Has some similarities with the original but I think I like the II better. Nicer aroma and a wee bit sweeter on the tongue with one sugar cube and a ratio of one shot to three shots of aqua. I will buy this again.

[King_Stannis]

Just had several glasses of O2 last night. Quite good, and what people say about it needing to breathe a bit is true.

[-TJ-]

This is very true, Joe... I was thinking an addition of sorts would be a good idea, now I have an excuse! Of course, knowing my wife, she'll likely suggest* I turn the shed into my new cave... In which case, I think a nice 10'x10' addition would do fine. This would also mean that I wouldn't be subjected to watching those dreaded "chick flicks". Hmmm... Yes. Yes, this works for me. "Sure honey, I'll watch _______ with you, start it up, and I'll just jump in when I'm finished in the shed..." (no offense intended if anyone here enjoys them, just not my thing)

 

Most importantly, it would by my sanctuary whenever my mother in law came out to visit... I must look into doing this!

 

 

 

 

*16 years together and words like suggest, and demand seem synonymous

[JosephLabrecque]

Okay! Just finished my first Obsello II with a 1/4 piece of sugar [standard ratio] and overall like it very much. The louche is a bit thinner than I like - at least upon initial uncorking... but the mouthfeel is very creamy and the flavoring does not disappoint. I expected this to be much more "rummy" considering the base - but the rum element isn't nearly as strong as expected. It is a very delicate absinthe in taste. Refreshing. The rum base may be adding an inherent sweetness to it - but on my second glass; I will definitely forgo the sugar to see how this impacts the flavors.

 

Overall - this absinthe at $39 USD is much better than some I've bought for ~$65-69 USD. Much better.

[JosephLabrecque]

Also - will tame the ratio down next time as well. Perhaps try a 1:3 and see how it goes. At 55% - this probably does break apart at 1:5.

[Brian Robinson]

I expected this to be much more "rummy" considering the base - but the rum element isn't nearly as strong as expected.

For me, I found the rum base overpowering in the first glass. To the point where it was hard to drink. But after it settled down, further glasses were much more tame.

[JosephLabrecque]

Perhaps aging a bit in the bottle has allowed it to mature? (assuming same batch)

 

I definitely expected rum-bomb.

[JosephLabrecque]

Tried it at 1:3.5 today and was still thin. Going to let the Obsello II rest up a few weeks before giving it another go.

[JosephLabrecque]

Observations over the past month or so:

1. The rum definitely shows it's force in this. I mentioned before that I expected it to be very sweet because of the rum base - but the rum is definitely not hidden here... perhaps overpowering some of the botanicals. I'm wondering whether I would enjoy this if I didn't enjoy rum, already.
2. Found that if I prepare a "heavy" dose of Obsello II that the louche will be thicker for sure. Unscientific, unmeasured observation here.
3. I'd probably still go for a $40 bottle of Obsello II over a $60 bottle of Pernod of whatever is stocked at the local store. That said - I don't buy any absinthe locally aside from Leopold Bros. Verte any more.

[Jack Griffin]

After trying to find a way to enjoy this after several months, I simply could not. I'm sad, as the distiller is a good guy. Review posted.

I hope they tweak this, as I enjoyed the original.

[fingerpickinblue]

Brave review. Someone had to say it. Your scoring is right in the ballpark with mine.

[Jack Griffin]

Yeah...but now I feel badly about it. Like I said, perhaps they'll tweak it. I like seeing people succeed. Heck, it was the first batch...

I'd give it another try if I heard they were working on it.

[redwun]

I gave the second half of a sample of batch 2 to an absinthe virgin a couple of weeks ago.He liked it a lot until I poured him his second glass which was Ridge V.Then his eyes opened up and he said "Oh yeah,I really like this"!!!

Edited August 17, 2013 by redwun

[Brian Robinson]

Odd that you didn't get a louche. I agree with much of your review, but I had a different experience on that point. But in all honesty, I don't think I'd score it much higher. I've been holding off on a review to see how much the rum base softens. Maybe I'll put one up next month.

[Jack Griffin]

I scored the louche a 2, as it was there, just very thin. I believe I wrote "barely visible", because it never became more than a medium haze, at least half as thick as the minimum I believe a louche should be.

If I let it sit for a few minutes, it would thicken a tiny bit, but to me, needing to do this is the sign of something wrong. Boosting the anise and fennel a bit would solve most of my issues with the aroma, flavor, louche and mouthfeel... Perhaps then, even the rum base would not be as objectionable to me, as the trad elements would be clearer.

Edited August 17, 2013 by Scott M.

[fingerpickinblue]

With regard to the louche, among other things my notes say "I can't read through it, but almost".

 

With regard to the base, there is not a single mention in my notes in the one evaluation I have done. I'm sure that is because there were so many notes concerning deficient and unbalanced herb bill, especially lack of anise and fennel, and lack of any verve or vibrancy. I also took note of the strange woodiness you mention in your review. I guess to me, with all these other problems the base was the least of my concerns.

[Ambear]

This makes me sad...I loved Obsello 1.

[Jack Griffin]

I seem to remember hearing, now that I think about it, that they were using a cedar lining inside the head of the still... is this possible? It could explain the notes I detected. As far as the base, FPB, for me it's a major concern because I believe it to be the main element masking the more trad flavors.

Edited August 17, 2013 by Scott M.

[TheLoucheyMonster!]

Interesting to compare those reviews, with Hartsmar's of a 1930's Havana absinthe, which may have had a rum or cane base.

 

http://www.absinthe.se/absinthe-reviews/vintage-absinthe/after-1915/aldabo-habana-absinthe-1930