Pernod Fils c1910 - Markus Lion find - Reviewed by Experts and Consumers at The Wormwood Society

I tastes this along with a sample of Pernod SA Couvet from c1920 as a comparison.

Appearance - Clear and surprisingly bright for such an old absinthe. A very inviting shade of caramel Fuille Morte. Darker than other vintage PF bottles I've seen, but not in a bad way. Could easily be mistaken for a whiskey based on the color. You can see in the attached pic (on the left).

Louche - Very thick with substantial layering, even with a fountain drip. Fully louched by about 2:1. I watered up to a ratio of 3:1. A thick, opalescent caramel color.

Aroma - Room filling. Wonderful balance of sweet, confectionery anise and minty fresh wormwood with hints of leather and old books. Mouth watering.

Flavor/Mouthfeel - Luxuriant, thick mouthfeel. Lots of high quality anise with an assertive wormwood. Not bitter or biting, but minty and alpine fresh. Just a slight astringence. It's easy to tell why Pernod was the gold standard while drinking this. It's so perfectly balanced. No sugar needed.

Finish - Lingering finish with slight dryness and hints of leather. It leaves you wanting more and more.

Overall - This is exactly what I would expect to taste from a vintage Pernod Fils. Tremendous balance and silky mouthfeel that makes you want to pour another.