This review was based on a 20ml sample that I prepared on Labor Day (three days ago).

Color: A true 'feuille mort', this particular 'dead leaf' being halfway between amber and tobacco.

Louche: There was very little observable action to the louche. That which was there started from the bottom of the glass and then filled the rest of the glass quickly and subtly.

Aroma: The aroma of the EP was complex and extremely enjoyable. I found it to have a sort of vanilla tobacco smell, having less of an anise scent and more of the fennel. My ability to distinguish other herbs is not yet refined, but high-quality wormwood could be detected easily.

Taste: The taste was outstandingly rich. Undoubtedly the fragrances mentioned above contributed to the flavor, but
ultimately there was a complex profile that was spicy, but without the "bite" that most spicy drinks can have. This
mellowness was possibly due to the century of aging, and attempting to distinguish the various flavors was pleasantly difficult as a result, since anything from hyssop to elecampane may have lost its pungency. My girlfriend Sabre had a few sips, and she found it reminiscent of a pre-sweetened honey chamomile tea she acquired in Spain, also tasting a fairly prominent maple/molasses flavor. She presumed that the EP may even have been distilled with some sort of nut or root (such as burdoch root), and with absinthe recipes being such a closely guarded secret then (as now), it's likely there were at least one or two "secret weapons" in the distellers' arsenals. food recipes we had tried which used brown mustard and fenugreek also came to mind.

Finish: There was a very tasty, long-lasting finish that never became bitter, and which was hardly tongue-numbing at all.

Overall: Vintage absinthes are interesting because we are not truly experiencing what the absinthe tasted like when it was originally enjoyed, but rather what it has become after decades of aging (in this case, a full century). It is likely that some of the alcohol has broken down and the flavor profile altered, even if only slightly. Having said that, if every absinthe aged as this Edouard had, I would find it very hard to not have a couple of glasses every day, as this one was exquisite.