Review Detail

1.5 65 0.5
Girl Power, Pontarlier Style
(Updated: June 18, 2012)
Overall rating
 
4.5
Appearance
 
5.0
Louche
 
4.0
Aroma
 
5.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
 
5.0
Finish
 
4.0
Overall
 
4.0
Color
Unlouched, a good level of medium green with slight amber highlights. Crystal clarity in the dose, the bottles have the slightest "silty" sediment on the bottom.

The amber was not present on arrival, but I made the mistake of leaving these out on my kitchen counter for one week. Even though they were not in direct sunlight, that room gets a lot of ambient light, just enough to push the DPs to a much more amber coloration. They were both very organic greens when they arrived. So be careful with these. I am going to buy another pair and bag them immediately when they arrive. Maybe that's an opportunity for Cheryl's next business. They say a girl has got to know how to accessorize. A zip-up neoprene bottle cover?, maybe that lace-up Gaultier bustier look?, I'm thinking something tie-dye is probably the right vibe for these.

Louched, Quite creamy looking golden green with bluish white at the edges and meniscus, and a nice rosy amber glow at the bottom. Excellent vibrancy to the colors. Very pretty.

Louche
Nice thick rolling cascades, rather than trails, with great refractions. Cloudiness quickly begins to build in a very pretty way and takes over the drink by 1/1. While it's building, there's a lovely amber/rose glow to it. Nice! At 1/1, there is a thick green line left, and louche really thickens up. The line gradually diminishes and disappears at 2/1, and then it takes a dilution of about 4/1 to regain some translucence.

Aroma
Nice base of anise and fennel with an almost "confectionery" tinge, probably the impressions from the hyssop. Extremely clean base, no alcohol heat. Smell hard and the lemon thyme is evident. Great nuance, details, constant interplay of all the herbs. All nose impressions are so fresh and immediate, that it seems like this stuff was just pulled out of the ground and put in the bottle. Way high quality, very balanced.

Flavor
Good anise/fennel attack when cold (what's new?), and a more herbal/floral attack as it warms. Lots of intensity, but not from being "over-packed", more from the quality level. 4/1, or a little better is where this really comes into its own. It really goes all "meadow" at that point. Yum! Lesser dilutions are spicy, and I don't think that is what was intended. Like the nose, lots of undulating details to find if you look for them.

Finish
A little spicy "bump" of anise focuses all the nose and palate impressions. Very clean. At 4/1 or a little greater a nice airy, herbal finish. At less than 4/1, a buildup of powdery sensation on the palate, along with significant spice. I prefer the higher dilution. Finish has decent duration, but not amongst the longest I've seen.

Overall
Don't be afraid to push the water on this one. It can take it. And when you do, talk about "meadow"! Some recurring themes; Very fresh, very high quality ingredients, very balanced, very precise, very impressive. The thing that really blows my mind is that Cheryl apparently tasted her first absinthe in 2006. She saw her first still in 2007. Amazing learning curve! Does she wear a cape?

Done with a 1 ounce dose, diluted 3.5/1, 4/1, and 4.2/1 and no sugar.

Walton Waters 5/13/09, 5/16/09, 5/17/09.
All evaluations had consistent notes.
M
Top 10 Reviewer 53 reviews
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