*Received as sample in absinthe explore set from absinthes.com

Appearance - Very nice to the eye! Extremely clear and natural and one of the few we have sampled that we agreed was "jewel-like" in appearance. Moving it around in the light reveals a virtual kaleidoscope of color, from golds and reds to blues and greens.

Aroma - Strong anise and a bit too much alcohol to the nose. This quickly subsides when water is added, but it was a bit offputting to smell straight in the glass.

Flavor - Excellent. All of the alcohol disappears and reveals a great anise-centric absinthe. The wormwood is definitely there, as are other herbal tones, but anise definitely rules the roost. While it isn't terribly complex, it is incredibly balanced - you can taste everything that is supposed to be there on its own and easily identify the very correct complements in flavors.

Finish - Very good finish, but not overly complex.

Overall - An extremely enjoyable absinthe. We plan on ordering a bottle soon. Of the ten we sampled, this ranked in the top two and was very close to the favorite. For a "traditional abinthe" experience, one could certainly do much worse and, if our samples were any indicator, it would be difficult to do a whole lot better. Excellent!