I haven't publicly reviewed an absinthe for ages, but I thought maybe I should this time.

First of all, Northshore clearly does take a traditional approach to making Sirène and I commend them on that. Where most new absinthe distillers are concerned with what new twist (or contortion, as the case may be) they can put on their absinthe, Northshore chose to show that they weren't too intimidated by time-honored standards to attempt a classic. Good choice.

The rich, golden olive color is a bit dark, and I'd maybe cut down on the amount of coloration herbs, although the herbal blend is nice. Sirène could benefit from a dark bottle as well, since the light will deteriorate the color before its time.

The louche is outstanding, and one of the most beautiful louches I've seen on a modern commercial absinthe. It has a complex opal character and interesting depth and colors. It would be great on a sunny afternoon.

The aroma is a bit timid for me, but pleasant. Aside from anise, there are hints of lemony melissa and mint and something balsamy.

The flavor is fairly well-balanced with the wormwood nicely behind the anise and all supported by assertive citrus notes.

The finish is intriguing and leaves me chewing and smacking to determine what those other herbs are, so, interesting.

All in all, this is a very pleasant drink and while there's room for improvement, it falls well within the correct profile for a proper absinthe.

I finished my glass.