Preparation



Lucid was my first Absinthe and I suppose for that alone it will always have a place in my heart as perhaps not an extraordinary drink, but a damn fine good one. With company we'll break out the fountain. However as an "every day Absinthe" a slow drip from the Poland Springs cooler or carafe of ice water works just dandy.



Color Before Water





Lucid isn't as green as any of the Jades I've tried. It leans more towards a yellow. It's pale and crystal clear - pretty enough but by no means gorgeous nor eye popping. It's also incredibly consistent, I have yet to notice any variance of the slightest shade. And although I find the bottle itself rather silly and unfortunate in the sense it plays to the propaganda of Absinthe, perhaps the use of dark glass keeps the light at bay and from changing the color. Just a theory.



Aroma Before Water



If you love Anise, you're in for a treat.Many a time I've opened a bottle only to find my partner or friends arrive shortly thereafter and announce "I could smell that before I reached your front door" Some people might find the aroma a bit too candy like ~ especially when compared to higher end brands but it suits me just fine. If the bottle is left to breathe, more complex notes will blossom most definitely of Fennel with slight under tones of floral and herbs.



Louche





Lightening fast. But non the less interesting. Appealing strands of oily goodness cascade from the top down and a puffy white cloud forms at the bottom. The Louche becomes turbulent with wonderful movement as it encompasses the elixir within. The final completion is an off white with a very decent opalescent quality. This makes it appear thicker than it actually is ala mouth feel but again, it's very decent and never disappoints.





Aroma After Water





Still heady with Anise but the more complex aromas have a chance to shine through. I would say Lucid shoots from the hip, no odd herbs, no peculiar deviations as with some of the odd ball Absinthes such as the ST George. Purists may find it in fact to direct and too simplified but I would counter and say it's consistency bottle after bottle is a good thing indeed. The heat of alcohol gives way too a more complex fragrance than from the bottle alone. Albeit it never loses the wallop of Anise and Fennel.









Flavor





Perhaps a bit too sweet, I can't imagine using sugar with Lucid. And I do miss the sharp tone of Wormwood and that "bite" of lovely bitterness that I have found with other, more complex and certainly more expensive bottles of Absinthe. But that aside I find it delicious and although a bit thin on mouth feel a very pleasant drink in every way. The after taste can be a bit sticky sweet but there are herbal complexities that shine on.



The Finish





Again a bit too sweet perhaps. But it's absolutely devoid of any funky or strange aftertastes.The Anise and Fennel linger on the palate which isn't at all bad, but I do miss a bit of a bite from the more bitter ingredients which if in tact would balance Lucid out beautifully.





Final Impression





Lucid is a fine "first Absinthe" and an equally decent daily Absinthe to have around the house. I don't hesitate to recommend it ~ silly bottle and all. It was close to what I imagined Absinthe to be. Is it wonderfully complex? no, not really. But it's a lovely drink, it's affordable, available and again consistent. I would say the positives here far outweigh the negatives - There will always be place on my bar for the black bottle with two silly glaring cats eyes.



Peter