I like Spanish Absentas so I was excited to finally get a chance to taste Obsello. The aroma immediately reminded me of other modern and vintage absentas I've had the pleasure of drinking. It is a fond memory filled with anise and melissa. I was hoping to find a greener color (similar to the Obsello advertising photos) but it was barely green, leaning to more of a straw. The color is a minor preference.

I like Obsello. It is a very good absinthe that (to me) captures the essence of Spanish Absenta, rising above all the current offerings and closely approaching the vintage.

The colour before water is beautiful peridot with a subtle hint of blue. There's a slight haze, but it's otherwise perfect. The aroma is fruity and grassy. Strong colouring herb aroma and lots of anise. Grapey. (Just looked and discovered that it has a grape base, no surprise.)

After louche it's slightly thin, but still good. Opalescent green-yellow. Nice red and orange refraction. Now the aroma is dominated by unmistakable grape base. Powdery, good anise.

The flavour is very sweet and fruity, with a good balance of the herbs. Lots of citrus, perhaps a bit of spiciness. A bit of medicinal camphor, but well in balance.

There's a long and fruity finish. It's a bit numbing but not too bad. Fades into medicinal wormwood.

This is a very refreshing, enjoyable absinthe. The perfect thing to sip on a warm, summer afternoon.

I was very excited to try this absinthe, having a soft spot in my heart for Spanish absentas. The newest version, which I received on 9/24/08 is a dramatic improvement to the first release I tasted.



Color: A vibrant, attractive peridot green.



Louche: Very nice looking louche, building well, and ending thick and attractive.



Aroma: Floral and sweet with a nice hint of anise. The wormwood is somewhat subdued, but not in a bad way.



Flavor: The flavor is much more light and refreshing than the original Spanish offering. I really enjoy it. The anise is pleasantly sweet. Not cloying at all. The wormwood plays a nice supporting role, adding a light bitterness with pairs nicely with the mint. The mint is subtle, just lending a bit more assertiveness to the wormwood.



Finish: Here's where we see the most dramatic improvement. The finish is sweet and lingers in the back of your mouth. Again, just a touch of wormwood. I can see where they would call this a 'feminine' absinthe. This isn't an absinthe I'd turn to on a cold winter's night. It's more something I'd either drink in the summer, or with a meal.



Overall: It's nice to see an absinthe that Spain can proudly call their own. This is worthy of being in anyone's collection.