This was the absinthe that took my breath away. At the time of trying this for the first time, I’d had one pre-ban absinthe (Pernod, vintage 1900), and this was the modern absinthe that came the closest to that pre-ban that I had the pleasure of trying. This was the absinthe that inspired me to write my song “Goddess in a Glass”, because Jade Terminus Oxygénée is the queen of absinthe.

Appearance: Gorgeous medium peridot with hints of gold, no sediment, jewel-like.

Aroma: Anise and fennel at the forefront, a dry and minty note of wormwood to round it out, some hints of melissa and hyssop, and a tantalizingly floral presence that you can’t quite put your finger on.

Louche: Sweet dreams are conjured from this louche. Immediate cloudiness upon adding water, rich, opaque, with swirls of gold and blue within a gorgeous primarily jade color taking shape.

Flavor/mouthfeel: Mind-blowing. Anise and fennel dance across the tongue and pull you further in to detect the minty notes of the wormwood, melissa, hyssop, and that mysterious floral note. Very naturally sweet in its own. Sweet, floral, and botanical. You can’t ask for better than this. The six years of aging really makes this absinthe an incredible experience. Makes the entire mouth tingle with pleasure. Incredibly velvety, pleasant mouthfeel.

Finish: Mouthwatering, lingering sweetness and botanical finish, alluring, pleasant tingles on the tongue and cheeks.

I'm very glad I finally got to try this absinthe, as it seems something of a new direction from Jade. The color is an attractive olive green, which after water becomes a thick, yellowish jade. However, the aroma and flavor are really quite extraordinary. Before water, the scent is intense and bracing, even somewhat medicinal. After water, it mellows just a bit, but the flavor and finish are both intense, herbal, and hot. It reminds me a bit of the old VdF, though it is definitely a more refined product.

It doesn't quite unseat 1901 as my favorite absinthe, but Terminus is now firmly in second position. Excellent product.

Appearance: beautiful and intense peridot green.

Louche: a joy to behold, lots of green and orange in the making. At 1:5 the louche is still thick, milky, distinctely green.

Aroma: intense and well balanced, nothing missing. Very creamy.

Flavor: very complex, well balanced, the trinity is there, some spice. The flavours seem to pervade the whole mouth and nose and throat.

Finish: wormwood and spices, with some anise sweetness. Herbal notes linger long in the mouth.

Overall: my experience is too limited to add anything relevant. This is to me some kind of "ideal" absinthe among the classic ones. The louche is the best I ever observed.

The final absinthe from Jade Liquors - what a stunner!

Appearance and aroma previous to being prepared really indicates just what is in store... a gorgeous color to behold and the scent is addicting. When water is added, the absinthe louches up in all the right ways - providing a wonderful visual showcase of trails and clouds... billowing and blowing around in the glass. The flavor is equally as incredible and once the glass is empty the memory of it begs to be filled once again. Complex yet very balanced, creamy and very 'present' in the ways a great absinthe makes herself known.

Interesting how this absinthe is so similar to the other Jades but also is very distinct from them as well. The taste seems to evolve both within a single glass and over the life of the bottle. The complexity and creaminess of this absinthe is astounding - like all the Jades, this is one to keep a few bottles in stock for sure! I LOVE it.