Where to begin?

Although just a wee bit on the pale side, the color is a vibrant, refractive peridot green that I find immensely appealing.

The louche is a beauteous unfolding thing with lots of delicate snow globe action, which eventually clouds over to a fairly thick luminescent opalescence.

The aroma neat is like an alpine meadow with relatively soft alcohol showing through. As the louche commences, this fragrance opens up wonderfully, revealing an incredibly balanced, and rounded herbal perfume (not a literal perfume, as in L'Italienne), and one can discern beautiful Andalusian (and somewhat fruity) anise, fruity fennel, a good hint of angelica, and an absolutely amazing soft talc-like hyssop. These aromatics carry over into the flavor almost seamlessly, and while each herb can be savored on its own, one has to taste "hard" because the flavors quickly blend back into a (at the risk of repeating myself) seamless whole. The finish is long, but could have a bit more duration and intensity. The mouth feel is not the creamiest I've ever experienced, but it is perfect for the flavors that it supports, and there's an exquisite "softness"to the Pacifique that I find adds even more to its appeal.

This would be my idea of the perfect absinthe, if it were only a bit less delicate. It is like sipping, and savoring a bright, happy, alpine meadow in May, and every time I louche a glass, it awakens my senses teasingly, and leaves me quite happy, but for the slight desire that it was a tad fuller, and richer.

Thank you, Marc, for bringing this elegant and beautiful rendition of the Montpelier style to fabulous fruition!

Edit...Having recently tried the latest run of Pacifique, I must upgrade my score to a 5.0. The color has become a more vibrant peridot, the louche is definitely fuller (not quite thick, but perfect for the style), and the flavor is livelier, and richer while also being smoother, and even more seamless. If I had to choose between the superlative Edourd Pernods I have tasted, or this latest bottling of Pacifique, I would honestly choose the latter.

Pacifique is a really great verte absinthe! I have had it two different times now and the one thing I have to say about it is that it will really improve after opening and the flavor is very sensitive to the water ratio, but once you get it right it is quite delicious so don't judge it too harshly based on your first glass.

Appearance (4) : Pacifique comes in a very simple but fancy looking bottle, dark glass that keeps the eerie olive oil green color of the absinthe from fading. More neat looking than inviting, but a 4 nonetheless.
Louche (3.5) : The louche is great, but underwhelming compared the the thick cloudy louche other verte absinthes are capable of. Not disapointing, but could be better.
Aroma (4) : Pacifique smells spicy, inviting and deceptively complex. I personally loved the burning sweet vapor that comes out of the new bottle.
Flavor / Mouthfeel (4) : The flavor is very unique, which I love about quality absinthe. The holy trinity is working its magic, but there is an extra spiciness to the flavor that is exotic and tempting. Very refreshing and numbing.
Finish (4) : The finish is great, and the numbing effect lingers so slightly that it leaves you wanting more. Would have received a 5 if the spicy flavor lingered rather than the bitter.
Overall (4.5) : I had to give Pacifique an overall rating of 4.5 because each category was so close to being a 5. It really is a delicious and unique absinthe that is definitely worth trying, experimenting with, and then trying again.

Color: Very pretty. It's not too yellow or dark, but a pure, clean peridot.

Louche: Turbulent and rolling. Once it's fully louched, it becomes creamy and lovely with peach-gold reflections.

Aroma: Pre-louched strongly of coriander, but was greatly lessened when louched. Not too strong and not particularly room-filling. Sweet and balanced.

Flavor: Good. Great even. The flavor is executed very well...I feel like each sip tasted wonderful, each bringing on a new flavor to contemplate and explore. I certainly can't find any complaints regarding the flavor.

Finish: Warm and spicy, herbal and very fresh, with a lingering mintyness.

Overall: The more I drink this, the more I'm impressed. I tend to pour myself a glass and after a sip or two, I have to sit back and go "wow, this is really nice." I always avoid sugar because I enjoy the flavor of absinthe without it, but I was curious to try this absinthe with a little sugar: it's full-on, indulgent, naughty good.

Color: Pacifique starts with a very clear and natural green coloration. This is just a tad too light but otherwise perfect.

Louche: The louche is slow to start and is turbulent with slight oil traces. Later on the louche blooms really well and is a wonderful gradient with a clear top and milky bottom. When finished the louche is near perfect in terms of translucent to milky. Pacifique is incredibly beautiful when it is ready to drink.

Aroma: The aroma is right up my alley! This is a complex and herbaceous smell with not one scent overpowering another. I may be caught wearing this as cologne in the near future!

Flavor: This is an extremely balanced drink. The mixture of herbs is present and although the traditional herbal flavors are definitely there, they do not mask the other ingredients too much. The balance and mixture definitely make this a unique absinthe. Pacifique is an herb-strong drink that is slightly bitter, and I could understand where one would want to add a bit of sugar, but not me.

Finish: The finish is warm and has a slightly numbing sensation. The complexity stays and dances around just a bit. Not too much of a change but very refreshing.

Overall: This is an amazing herbal absinthe that is about as balanced as it gets. The drink is very prone to ratio modifications and doesn't do too well lighter than 1:4 whereas any stronger would be too strong.

This is truly an excellent absinthe and I'm kicking myself for not buying a bottle sooner. It has a lot of really great things going on with it. I didn't use sugar with the class that I'm reviewing now. It's one of the very few commercial absinthes that I think might benefit from a little sugar, if one prefers a sweeter glass of absinthe. It's very good without the sugar if a slightly bitter glass of absinthe is desired. I like that flexibility, as moods and desires can change from day to day.

The color straight from the bottle is a little bit lighter than what I was expecting, it was almost clear. I was surprised by this, and have no idea how long the bottle was sitting on the shelf, so that may have been a factor. After water has been added it's a light cloudy green, just like an excellent absinthe should be.

The louche is excellent, one of the best I've seen and has a beautiful mouthfeel. It is thickest around 3:1, and lightens just a little bit by 4.5:1, but it is still thick enough to prevent me from seeing through the glass.

The pre-water aroma is herbal, but there is some strong alcohol there as well, which quickly disappears once water begins to be added. The resulting aroma is very pleasant and relaxing, very herbal, not strong or harsh, just there in the background.

Pacifique has one of the the best flavor profiles I've tasted in a commercial verte. It's a little wormwood heavy, hence my prior suggestion for adding sugar if a sweeter drink is preferred. The wormwood flavor itself is excellent, leafy and floral, but not too much. The anise, hyssop, melissa and fennel come through supporting the flavor in the back, after the wormwood has done it's bit. This is easily going to be a go-to absinthe for me, and I think based on the flavor alone it's a perfect introductory and standard absinthe for new and experienced absinthe drinkers. Although the flavor is a little bit wormwood heavy, it's not overdone, and the rest of the herbs and spices are very balanced and supportive in all the right ways.

The finish has some melissa and a little wormwood, but it's perfectly harmonious with what an excellent abisnthe should be.

This absinthe rocks. I'm very excited about it and glad it's done so well and see how it can easily continue to do so for quite some time. Excellent work Pacific Distillery!