Review Detail

1.6 30 0.5
Marteau Verte Classique - Sophisticated Elegance
(Updated: August 09, 2008)
Overall rating
 
4.8
Appearance
 
5.0
Louche
 
4.0
Aroma
 
5.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
 
5.0
Finish
 
5.0
Overall
 
5.0
Presentation:



Elegant dark green bottle, Silver foil, up scale label all very attractive. Nice to see there's a specific warning not to burn on the back, in addition to don't burn sugar sign. Well done.



Preparation

A thin stream from a fountain of iced spring water.



Color Before Water

Perfectly Peridot. The color was an unexpected surprised as I imagined it leaning more towards emerald. But this lovely pale green is spectacular. It has the clarity and translucence of a jewel. Quite dazzling to see, especially in natural sunlight.



Aroma Before Water

Another surprise the Anise isn't overpowering it seems more of a compliment to a wonderfully herbal and fragrant bouquet. I strolled a bit, glass in hand and found the vapors quite beautiful. Floral notes and crisp sweetness made me wish it was heavier and more pronounced. Like a breeze off the sea you wish for more but the very qualities that are so faint and gorgeous may be best enjoyed just as it is.



Louche

Nice trails that start immediately and the Louche follows quite quickly. A dense puffy wave that lifts up and rolls out. Expanding and imploding it makes for a fun turbulent performance.The color was a surprise here to. Not the milky off white I've seen so much of. The Peridot color hangs in there and even at 4 to1 water ratio there's this fabulous, light green opalescence. The final stage of the razor thin line of pure Absinthe above the Louche is something special. Mouth feel is thinner than I expected but for me this would be a trait I seek out. It's not sticky nor does it cling to the tongue or inside the mouth.



Aroma After Water

Still gorgeous and inviting but very, very delicate I did find myself wanting more of it. That said, it's unique and fresh with notes that are herbal and floral, clean and inviting. Absolutely zero medicinal, odd or off putting aroma.



Flavor

Like the Aroma the flavor is smooth, subtle and distinct. There's a nice savory balance to it's natural sweetness which is delightful. After sampling a few glasses with sugar and without, my preference is without. There's a nice bite of Wormwood that's tasty and sharp. Overall the flavor is beautifully complex and wonderfully simple at the same time. It's many things, but never one dimensional. One flavor never really wins out over the others. The harmony is exceptional.





The Finish

A gentle numbing of the tongue and a lingering grassy aftertaste.



Final Impression

Marteau Verte Classique is exquisite. And again it's more delicate than any other Absinthe I've tried. Perhaps this is the reason it's been suggested for use in cocktails because the licorice flavors from Anise and fennel aren't center stage. Although I found myself wishing they were a bit more up front. But this is knit picking - it's a delicious and fascinating drink. My main complaint would be that this Absinthe is to be retired. Hence my two bottles will be used sparingly and I hope to purchase more before the remaining stock is gone forever. A better review or stronger recommendation to treat yourself to a bottle I can't make.
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