Pre-louche: Proper, vibrant peridot. Brilliant color. Aroma is exactly what you'd expect a good absinthe to smell like with nothing strange lingering in the shadows.

Louched: Milky green. Aroma is not as aggressive as some absinthes - but is, again, proper and an expected aroma. I so wish the pre-louche aroma would carry over more strongly!!! Louche is thick and creamy. Taste is good - nice bitterness from the wormwood. A bit of bite from the alcohol (as others have noted). Definitely not as complex and herbal as others but still quite balanced and welcome.

Just very balanced, overall. Nothing to make it really stand out from others - but it is good, clean, natural, traditional, and authentic absinthe... and that is what really counts! Nice that this can be acquired in the United States - as there aren't a lot of European absinthes this way.

with & without sugar, 3.5:1 water ratio

Color: I have no idea how they achieved this coloration naturally - I know there has been some speculation, but the label says natural. It doesn't seem to be of this world - it's like a jewel... perfect.

Louche: Again the color is great - like lime colored opaline, and the louche begins early and strong but dies quickly - doesn't build quite enough, though

Aroma: Very Fresh alpine scent, wormwood and Anise. The un-louched aroma smells strong, but sweet.

Taste: There is a bit of a sharp, alcohol bite present without sugar that I am not fond of. I am spoiled with the more complex Absinthe out there now with more floral/other herbal notes. Looking at the positive side, it is classic tasting and good nevertheless. It's better with sugar in my opinion - adds more balance.

Finish: Medium mouth feel... the taste does not linger - it is pretty basic, but classy.

Overall: I like this Absinthe - I'd put it around the level of Vieux Carre. The color is its most stunning attribute. Great example of a 'first absinthe' suggestion.

Appearance neat was a beautiful forest green. Very alive. Turning to a perfect example of Jade with the addition of cold water.

Louche erupted as whisps of smoke billowing into an ocean of cotton to an opalescent Jade by 4/1. A translucent beauty of olive, gold and copper with blue green tinges

Aroma neat was spicy hot. At 3/1 suprisingly light. By 4/1 the Duplais verte opened up into a nice strong pleasant minty wormwood
jewel. Very close to awesomeness.

Flavor is Crisp and clean. Reminds me of swimming in the creek in early march. Lots of stout and tasty wormwood blended perfectly with the right amount of herbal goodnesss. Minty,sweet and clean. A robust absinthe favorable to my palate.

Finish lingers like a crisp dry mountain breeze. Very pleasant with a lingering dryness which just make you want to take another sip.

Overall I find the Duplais verte very appealing. Complex and interesting, and very wormwood forward with balance and flair. Would reccomend to anyone who likes the Ridge Verte or Marteau.

Color: a lovely natural medium emerald green.

Louche: Thick trails and jellies with a slow, steady build of smokey wisps from the bottom up. Clear thick layers vanishing right at the very end at 4:1. Were it a bit thinner and less opaque, I'd have given it a 5. Lovely shade of green.

Aroma: Mostly an inviting sweet anise and light herbal aroma, with a touch of alcohol prior to the louche. During the formation of the louche, it filled the room with the same character.

Flavor: I love this flavor. A nice strong, crisp wormwood followed by tasty anise and fennel. Delicious. Melissa and coriander let you know they are there with a bright citrus and light white pepper. Creamy mouthfeel. My only minor complaint is it has a bit of heat, and requires a bit more water than I typically use. I may have gone to 5 here but for the heat.

Finish: Wonderful finish. Long and lingering. The wormwood fades to anise and fennel, then the light citrus and powdery edges fade ever so nicely allowing one to savor between sips.

Overall: I am a sucker for Duplais absinthe. I LOVE it's more delicate sister "Balance", and elegant brother A.O. Spare, but am so glad to have found this Duplais offering that I can get right here in the USA. I like the stronger flavor profile a lot.

From first taste of Absinthe Duplais Verte it is immediately understood that it is essentially Absinthe Duplais Blanche that's been put through a second distillation process with macerated herbs for the verte color and added flavor complexity.

Color: Before louching the color of Absinthe Duplais Verte is a lovely fresh green, and not yellow at all. It looks to be a "clear," pure green ... simply pristine and what I'd hope to expect from a recent offering of a verte. No sediment — A slight sediment doesn't bother me, but it is undetectable here. Again, this is what I would consider a very "clean" Absinthe verte. After loucheing the color turns to a fresh yellow-green. You see the "Green Lady" that is the filled, ready-to-drink glass, and it's quite pleasing.

Louche: The louche is good. Complex oil trails into the green liquor provide a nice complex show, louche is not slow but takes its time well enough to see pleasant cloud swirling formation before full louche. Ends with layer of clear-green liquor on surface, as may be expected is from a quality absinthe verte.

Aroma: Anise and fennel dominate with some hints of vanilla or a vanilla-like tasting herb. Bottle has strong alcohol odor, which is to be expected since Absinthe Duplais Verte is 68 percent alcohol. Excellent aroma in the glass, a fresh "trinity" is there plus vanilla notes and some natural sweetness from the herbs. Some alcohol aroma, as it is 68 percent alcohol afterall.

Flavor: The vanilla or vanilla-like notes are tamer here than it is with the Duplais' Blanche version. Rather, the difference seems to be in the second distillation process; the added herbs complete a more complex flavor, making it not as sweet and a tad more bitter than the Blanche version. Excellent.

Finish: Strong alcohol content leaves behind an imperfect taste, but still not bad. Strong alcohol content also preserve the freshness of the herbs and the truly exceptional green color (the chlorophyll — it is alive! it seems). Very fresh taste of anise, fennel and grand wormwood. Tongue is left quite numb.

Overall: Another high-quality product from Duplais. I also consider the quality of the alcohol. After five drinks last night I woke up with zero hangover, which tells me that the grain spirit is of high-quality and is "clean." (Disclosure: I'm particularly hangover-prone. If I don't get a hangover from five drinks, then the spirit is no doubt quite pristine.) The norm should still be five Absinthe drinks maximum, I wouldn't push it but, nonetheless, this is an impressive drink. It's up there with Pacifique for me.

Final note: This is strange for me because I think Absinthe Duplais Verte is one of the best, but Absinthe Duplais Blanche is THE finest blanche on the American market, insofar as I know. The Duplais Verte reminds me of its blanche base. Simply put, I'm not certain if I desire to mix both worlds. This is a great drink and I will have some on hand for guests and myself on occasion, but I hope to drink Absinthe Duplais Blanche on a more regular basis, especially when it's warm and sunny outside. I may prefer Pacifique slightly as the "go-to" verte. But when I want to show a newcomer to absinthe a fine example of a traditional green, "Green Lady," then I will bring this one out. Absinthe Duplais Verte is very refined, top-shelf classic verte, a better introduction for beginners than anything I can think of and satisfying to those who know absinthe.

Update April 16, 2010: The score remains the same, but I reverse my sentiments slightly. The Absinthe Duplais Verte is more the go-to absinthe for regular use, and the Absinthe Duplais Blanche is more of a special occasion drink, when "sweets for the sweet" are in order. Absinthe Duplais Verte is a great, somewhat unusual absinthe. The vanilla notes, while less apparent than in the blanche version, make it different than anything else on the market, but it is still something I would find satisfying most any time I desire absinthe. It's good to have both this and Pacifique on hand. Pacifique satisfies when you truly desire the classic 19th century French Absinthe taste made from the highest quality herbs. The Duplais is different, but of no lesser quality. Perhaps the Duplais is simply more Swiss ... and contempory? (Absinthe Duplais Verte and Pacifique Absinthe Supérieure will be in my cabinet at all times.)