Berthe de Joux - Reviewed by Experts and Consumers at The Wormwood Society

 
4.6 (3)
 
4.2 (13)
0
Berthe de Joux - Reviewed by Experts and Consumers at The Wormwood Society

Product Details

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Style/Color
Degrees ABV (% alcohol)
Year of Make (if known)
Country of Origin
Distillery

Editor reviews

6 reviews
Overall rating
 
4.6
 
4.7(3)
 
4.3(3)
 
4.5(3)
 
5.0(3)
 
4.3(3)
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Simply outstanding.
(Updated: August 06, 2012)
Overall rating
 
4.6
Appearance
 
5.0
Louche
 
4.0
Aroma
 
5.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
 
5.0
Finish
 
5.0
Overall
 
4.0
The absinthe pours a bright peridot.Ideal with no debris or haze. The aroma is minty and fruity. Lots of wormwood, with the anise present but subdued.

The louche is quick to build, but ends just slightly thin. Rich, opalescent, pearly jade, textured with gold and blue. After water the aroma is very balanced and rich. Anise has come forward, wormwood has moved back just a bit. Citrus notes, some spice. Very fresh.

It has a full, sweet flavour with wormwood upfront, followed by a big dose of anise and fennel. Very little bitterness. Surprisingly thick and warm mouth-feel for something so summery and refreshing. A bit spicy but not overdone. Purfumey and minty.

Fruity anise dominates the finish, trailing into fennel with wormwood just pulsing underneath. Mouth-watering and infectious.

This is quite a delightful absinthe, among the best available. Having been out of the loop I had no idea what its reputation was when I tasted it, but I'm not surprised to see how well it's regarded.
A
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"Berthe" Of The Cool
(Updated: June 18, 2012)
Overall rating
 
4.5
Appearance
 
5.0
Louche
 
4.0
Aroma
 
4.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
 
5.0
Finish
 
5.0
Overall
 
4.0
OK, for the second time, I've decided to post reviews of two sibling absinthes, completed the same day, tasting each side by side. This review and the review of the Perroquet, dated the same, are intended as a pair. There have been many commentaries on these two recent E. Pernot vertes, so here's my "compare and contrast" impressions. Everyone seems to have their favorite. I wish I could be that decisive.

Color
Unlouched, beautiful crystal clear peridot with impressive golden reflections. Clarity and brightness are top-notch. Jewell-like, brilliant. Louched, significant retention of the green. With low light, a slightly bluish jade green. Under very good light, highlights of yellows, golds, whitish blue at the edges and a very pretty orange glow fading to cantaloupe at the bottom. A bit more intensity to all the final colors than Perroquet, since a proper dilution here calls for less H2O than its sibling.

Louche
This is opalescence, a nice kaleidoscope of classic louche tones. Great sheen, "glassy" looking. The "weight" and translucence are right at the limits (upper and lower, respectively). Any more, and I would consider this too opaque. For what it's worth, nice action while forming, while it lasts, which is not long due to 56% abv. The show is over at just slightly above 1:1.

Aroma
Unlouched, evident high quality everything... grape base, wormwood and other herbs. Anise is in the background. Louched, well, much the same, with the expansions that water brings. Pontarlier wormwood, in spades, balanced by anise and an earthy fennel just slightly behind. Quite piquant. Subtle pepper (mostly white pepper), camphor, and volatility give it an assertive edge. With a little push in the dilution department (above 3.5:1), the more subtle herbs and florals show themselves. No evidence of alcohol heat, neat or louched.

Flavor
Like the nose, gobs of top-notch wormwood. Anise and fennel are actually plentiful, but the wormwood is so commanding that you might miss them at first. Alternating hints of both white and black pepper. Mouthfeel is amazingly clean and velvety, considering how action-packed this is. As with the nose, the more delicate and subtle herbals and florals reveal themselves at higher dilutions. Focus (as if this needs it!) is provided by a slight trailing mintiness.

Finish
So long it needs another time zone! Seriously... linear, spicy, tingly, minty, and fresh. That awesome Pontarlier wormwood lingers and lingers. A slight "pull" and drying countered by some aspect that prompts salivation, making the finish just juicy. All in all, a vigorous massage for the palate.

Overall
Well, try as I might to resist the hype, I've caved. It's pretty hard to ignore an effort of this level. Assertive and masculine. Stunningly good. A real statement. Absolutely one of the best I've experienced. Profound. Feel free to try different dilutions with this. There has been significant talk on the forums about drinking this at a ratio of 2.5:1 with a little sugar. My favorite dilutions are still 3.5:1 - 4:1. I just find more subtle details and complexities at this level. E. Pernot, of late, has been right in the pocket with their new offerings. This, and its sibling Perroquet, are new to the "must try" list.

Done with a 1 ounce dose, diluted 2.5:1, 3:1, 3.5:1, 4:1 and no sugar.

La Berthe De Joux, 9/11/10, 9/12/10, 9/26/10, 10/15/10, 10/30/10, 10/31/10.
All evaluations had consistent notes.

Some comparisons of Perroquet and La Berthe De Joux

Perroquet is classic peridot.
LBdJ is classic peridot.

Perroquet is all the expected louche tones in the zone.
LbdJ louche is slightly more bluish, slightly more "glassy" looking.

Perroquet is very highly complex.
LBdJ is highly complex.

Perroquet is classic, refined, detailed.
LBdJ pushes limits without going over the top.

Perroquet if you like Bentleys, Vuitton, and Harry Winston.
LBdJ if you like Hummers, Prada, and Chris Aire.

Perroquet for the "pinky out" crowd.
LBdJ for those who have hair on their chest (or those who want some!).

Perroquet - "Polly want a Cracker?"
LBdJ - "Polly want some Crack?"

So... I can't tell you all what a process crafting these two reviews has been. These reviews probably represent the sacrifice of 80% of a bottle of LBdJ, and 65% of a bottle of Perroquet. Recently, in a WS thread, there was some talk about how others impressions of beverages set one up for expectations of what to perceive. I'm as susceptible as anyone, of course. As such, I have parsed these offerings more, and compared more thoroughly to other top-notch absinthes than any other reviews I have written (including tasting short doses of my top 4 or 5 rated absinthes immediately after writing these to serve as a double-check). And I can say that any rating of "4" that either received, was so close to a "5" that I could have knocked it over the line with my heel (the same is probably true with "4" ratings for other top absinthes I've reviewed). Both are stunningly good, both are worthy of any serious absintheur's attention.
M
Top 10 Reviewer 53 reviews
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Unbelievable. Right up my alley.
(Updated: February 19, 2013)
Overall rating
 
4.7
Appearance
 
4.0
Louche
 
5.0
Aroma
 
4.5
Flavor / Mouthfeel
 
4.5
Finish
 
5.0
Overall
 
5.0
Original Review: 8/26/10.
Updated Review: 2/18/11
Updated Review: 9/1/12

2/18/11 Changes: Changed color from 5 to 4. Aside from that, it's just as good as my first review. Fantastic stuff. The color has faded a bit, but it is still very inviting.

9/1/12 Changes: Reduced flavor and aroma to 4.5 each to reflect the half-point system.

Color: (original) Very deep, attractive peridot Updated: A lighter shade of peridot, but still bright green and attractive.

Louche: Nice layering begins around 1:1 which transforms into an inviting green louche with hints of blue, white and yellow.

Aroma: lots and lots of wonderful wormwood with hints of anise and even honey. Wonderfully layered and complex. Room-filling.

Flavor: Spicy and peppery with lots of top notch wormwood. The WW shows through first with a less pronounced but still clearly identifiable anise flavor. Complex and remarkable. Tastes a bit young but it's likely that aging will only improve this absinthe.

Finish: Wormwood plays on the tongue for a good long time with a supporting hand of anise, with just a touch of refreshing alpine astringency at the very end. Peppery and bold.

Overall: A powerful and masculine absinthe that pulls no punches. If your average absinthe is like a Lowlands Scotch, then this is like a powerful Islay. An immediate addition to the list of my top favorites.
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User reviews

13 reviews
 
23%
 
77%
3 stars
 
0%
2 stars
 
0%
1 star
 
0%
Overall rating
 
4.2
Appearance
 
4.5(13)
Louche
 
4.0(13)
Aroma
 
4.2(13)
Flavor / Mouthfeel
 
4.2(13)
Finish
 
4.2(13)
Overall
 
4.1(13)
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took a while to grow on me
Overall rating
 
4.0
Appearance
 
4.5
Louche
 
3.5
Aroma
 
3.5
Flavor / Mouthfeel
 
4.0
Finish
 
4.5
Overall
 
4.0
appearance- vibrant yellow-green. really nice. after louche, like a pale, foggy pastel green (maybe with very subtle blue tones).

the louche itself isn't very impressive, and a few times i've made drinks that almost seemed not to louche, just get kind of diluted by the water. it seems like maybe this absinthe needs a slower drip to louche well, but even then it's not exciting to watch. it's kind of hard for me to score this because the louche action isn't great but i really like the way the drink looks post-louche.

the aroma before louche to me, is mainly a 'candied' scent. behind that are subtler things like 'fruity', 'minty', etc. very enticing. and course the anise is there too. it's not very strong though, especially after louche when i can barely smell anything.

the flavor of this one has been hard for me to pin down. it seems a little different each time. one of my first drinks from the bottle i had a drink which really didn't seem to louche and it was pretty unpleasant to drink also. since then the louche seems on the thin side and the drink tastes fine. last time the main thing i tasted was 'spicey', with a creamy feel. also slightly minty, and the anise and wormwood are very well balanced. everything just harmonizes.

the finish is where it gets more complex, but it's a bit subtle. to me, it goes in some kind of 'smokey' direction, with hints of fruit. it's pretty mouthwatering.
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Fantastic offering from Emile Pernot
Overall rating
 
4.4
Appearance
 
4.5
Louche
 
4.0
Aroma
 
4.5
Flavor / Mouthfeel
 
4.5
Finish
 
4.5
Overall
 
4.5
This is a very delicate and interesting Absinthe that has a more forward wormwood flavor. I found though that the loucheing process has to be done very carefully as just the slightest amount of water over the ideal amount can throw the flavor and mouthfeel completely off.
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Delicate (fragile?)
Overall rating
 
4.2
Appearance
 
4.5
Louche
 
4.0
Aroma
 
4.5
Flavor / Mouthfeel
 
4.0
Finish
 
4.0
Overall
 
4.0
Coloring is quite pretty as a standard peridot - absolutely proper and traditional. The aroma and taste of Pontarlier wormwood is present and accounted for in a big way... absolutely identifiably Emile Pernot absinthe - powdery and floral. Very, very well balanced with quality ingredients. Delicious. Louche is quite nice - but easy to over water. Best at 3:1 / 3.5/1 as ABV is 56%. Anything higher and you'll be sorry!

This is one absinthe that you really have to pay attention to since it is so very fragile in preparation. Initially, I disliked it as it appeared quite plain to me in terms of flavor - but this is due to my inexperience with the brand and incorrect tempering. It has grown on me quite a bit over time and I now find it to be a wonderful absinthe.
J
Top 10 Reviewer 47 reviews
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Was once new.
Overall rating
 
4.0
Appearance
 
4.5
Louche
 
3.5
Aroma
 
4.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
 
4.0
Finish
 
4.0
Overall
 
4.0
Note: Louched at 2.5:1 creating a final drink at 16% ABV despite my usual preference to review at 12-15% ABV. This was done after some brand research and a decision to re-review due to low ABV of 56% for this verte.

Appearance: A clear and bright gemstone green with a hint of yellow.

Louche: Just a bit thin with hues of orange in the body and a nice gradient of blue at the edges. Lots of the original color is left for an overall pastel green body.

Aroma: Wormwood and anise heavy with a nice mint and hyssop background. Some spice notes are displayed as well as a slight medicinal scent.

Flavor: A very silky body with a nice minty wormwood. The anise notes are sharp and crisp. The strange medicinal flavor on the back of my palate is distracting from an otherwise very fresh tasting absinthe.

Finish: Mint, hyssop, and wormwood dance on a field of anise. Unfortunately that medicinal note lasts longer than the rest and dominates the end of this long finish.

Overall: This is a wonderful absinthe with a distracting medicinal feel to it. The mint is a bit heavy for me as well but still not out of line as it tends to be with other minty absinthes.
E
Top 10 Reviewer 70 reviews
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Balanced and complex after resting
Overall rating
 
4.4
Appearance
 
4.0
Louche
 
3.5
Aroma
 
4.5
Flavor / Mouthfeel
 
5.0
Finish
 
4.5
Overall
 
4.5
Review notes: Bottle was purchased in 2010, reviewed today 2/10/13. Bottle has "L3410" on it -possibly a date code. Bottle has been open two weeks prior to review.

Appearance: A soft, pale lime green color, a shade lighter than olive oil. Attractive and elegant, like stained glass. No sediment is visible whatsoever.

Louche: This is difficult due to the fact that there were things I liked about the louche, and others I didn't. When slowly dripping the icewater, opalescent ribbons swirled and shimmered within the absinthe. The final color is a lovely pale green, but it seems very thin, despite the fact that the amount of water I added was even less than the norm. It did not have the look of 'billowing clouds' that I love.

Aroma: When neat, the first trait in the nose that jumps out is how noticeable the grape base is. There's that, coupled with the fennel which provides an earthy foundation, complimenting the powdery sweetness and scent of freshly cut flowers.
Louched, everything seems blended well, with a peppery sharpness like the thorn to the rose of the anise and grape scents.

Flavor & mouthfeel: It's flavor is much more potent and powerful than the aroma suggests! It's remarkably complex, but also balanced. As I take each sip, I am enjoying the wormwood and anise side by side in the very first moment. There's also a dualistic undercurrent of herbal spiciness and delicate floral sweets. Although it's a little 'hot,' I would say it's ultimately medium-bodied. This review was written while tasting the absinthe with sugar added, although after having a second glass without it, the taste is similar, it's great either way!

Finish: The finish is dry and reminiscent of sweet red wine, eucalyptus, and a slight hint of menthol. I can't believe I finished the glass already in the midst of my review.

Overall: My favorite so far out of the recent releases of Distillery Emile Pernot. I prefer this to Perroquet and Vieux Pontarlier. Would be interesting to compare to Doubs or Roquette, but It has been a while since I've had those latter two. Looking forward to trying Sauvage next. Emile Pernot retains its status in my eyes as a top brand.
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