-2nd Distillation 2008 Bottle 558/640 - tasted in Oct 2010 -

Appearance: Goldish-Olive hue, probably due to Feuille Morte since I've aged this bottle over 2 years, and who knows how much the distiller aged it from completion to bottling periods.

Louche: Great louche that builds up with oily trails slowly and completes with billowy effect. Not extremely dense/milky however, which leads me to be careful not to add too much water.

Aroma: Fantastic 'powdery' scent with floral/fresh fruit notes in the forefront with a bitter wormwood spice balanced well in the background. When water is added, things seem even more balanced, with that floral aspect blending in a bit.

Taste: Nearly a perfectly balanced taste, just like the aroma, that leads somewhat with the sweeter notes. I prefer a little sugar in this one, but it is not bad without, either.

Finish: Medium mouth feel with a slight numbing - the final aftertaste is that of the wormwood. I really enjoy the flowery aroma/sweet start and a more herbal bitter finish.

Overall: Definitely in my top 5 and worth the hype. The archetype of what good absinthe tastes like. You can definitely taste a huge difference when going from this to a bottle in a lower price range, like my everyday absinthe choices. Other reviewers have stated quite agreeably that this is one of the best COs out there, with only minor criticisms such as the mouth feel & louche.