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.

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.

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.

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.

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.