-Color-
Before Water: Perfectly crystal clear

After Water: A little on the thick side, but not too much so. Slight blue glow around the edges with deeper copper highlights.

-Louche-
Definitely on the quick side in general, but typical for a blanche. Swirling thick trails with nice blue and copper highlights push this from a 3 to a 4.

-Aroma-
Before Water: Deep woodsy aroma, almost dank, but not over the line into funky.

After Water: Mild fruity and citrus notes up front. The minty wormwood is more prominent here than in most la bleues. On the backside of this is a dusky sharpness that just might be tails- or it could be an herbaceous component from the wormwood that is mixing unusually with the background herbs. It’s not really unpleasant, just not sparkly clean, so instead of assigning a negative connotation, I’m calling it a “down-home Swiss” feel.

-Flavor-
Well balanced anise flavor, the minty wormwood is here, with citrus, chamomile and perhaps some other herbs humming faintly in the background.

The body has decent thickness, but it’s not as rich as Clandestine, for example. However, there is a nice juicy feel that I’ve seen others attribute to the fruity fennel.

-Finish-
The juicy mouthfeel gives way to light citrus and a softly bitter-fresh wormwood. Staying power is not bad, but it would need more depth and sustain to push it to a “5” rating.

-Overall-
A very solid Swiss blanche with a handmade character. The juicy, citrus, and wormwood balance sets it above the average la bleue. If you enjoy Clandestine and are looking for another quality la bleue to experience or add to your collection, I definitely recommend this.

Notes: 3:1 drip, no sugar. Lot No. 2043175 Ab T