The color is not natural-looking to me, and I wouldn't be surprised if this absinthe had artificial coloring in it (1/5). The louche was also very thin, and looked fake, for lack of a better word (2/5). Anyone who has had really good absinthe will know what I mean when I say that an absinthe's color and louche should seem herbal, thick, oily and nuanced - these qualities go a long way in setting the mood. This one was more like a vodka painted green that turned slightly chalkier when water was added.



The spirit is obviously grain, not grape-based, which makes this absinthe taste harsher and makes it more of a cheap knock-off rather than a recreation of what Van Gogh drank (2/5). The idea of adding eucalyptus is an interesting one, but ought to be tried by a distillery that puts more effort into authenticity. The mint was also far too strong, mint has a strong natural flavor that is too overpowering which is why those 19th century distilleries that used it used only very limited quantities - Pernod Fils had something like one bushel of mint per 10 kg of herbs, I believe.



There was no finish to speak of - literally as soon as I had sipped this drink, all the flavor was gone (1/5).



The only thing that makes me rate this absinthe 2/5 overall is the bottle, which has a very interesting design. Tourment Vert is the missing link between 19th-century absinthe and the "absinth" of the bars in Prague. It was obviously rushed for release on the recently opened American market, and the whole point of a ratings guide is to help people avoid wasting upwards of $60 on something that isn't even authentic. For people who are stuck with a U.S. brand, I would strongly recommend trying Lucid or St. George instead.