The absinthe is of a gold colour, with maybe just the barest hint of green. Bright and clear. There's a strong grape base aroma, with an after-dinner-mint wedged in there. A bit more like chewing gum than absinthe, but not awful like it sounds.

The louche is quick, thick, and deep. The green comes out with water into a very bright opalescence with hints of yellow in the middle and blue at the edges. The aroma has mellowed but it's now full of mint and chalky. Perhaps a bit rubbery too. Anise is there but doesn't stand out.

However anise comes through on the palate, but it's light and fluffy. The base is very noticeable but not dominating. There's a medicinal astringency underlying everything. Wormwood is there but barely noticeable and it lacks spiciness that could help tie it all together. Citrus notes appear and now it reminds me of Ricola cough drops.

The brandy comes through in full force in the finish, under an intense numbing of the tongue. It rounds out to a raisin-like presence before it's gone.

It's a nice attempt and it's enjoyable to drink but it really needs work to meet its potential. The ingredients seem good but the base is overwhelming (too much of a good thing) and the lack of a clear wormwood profile hurts it.

Updated review 9-23-17 with updated scores

Nice layering on the louche. Fully louched by 2:1 (although I’d still water up to about 3:1). A louche that’s neither too thin nor too thick, with hints of blue and yellow. There is a distinct brandy aroma with hints of fennel and a touch of anise. Flavor is refreshing and light, but the brandy seems to be more of the focus than the herbs. I wonder if it went through a second distillation after maceration? Angelica and Hyssop come through. And unlike the original batch, you can definitely pick out some wormwood. In the finish, the brandy is there, but the herbs assert themselves a bit more. Clean with hints of juicy fruit along with just a hint of tannic bitterness on the finish. The finish hits me the wrong way a bit. It's too bitter. It seems like they actually reduced their anise a bit (or maybe stopped/reduced the use of recycled tails). Bring that back and this would be quite enjoyable.

++++++++++++++++++
Original Review: 2009
Color: A bit light, but a nice color. Light olive with tinges of straw.

Louche: Nice layering. Fully louched by 2:1. A deep and thick louche with hints of blue and green.

Aroma: Distinct brandy aroma with hints of fennel and a touch of anise. I'd like to be able to pick out more wormwood, but it's still nice.

Flavor: Nice and light, but the brandy seems to be more of the focus than the herbs. I wonder if it went through a second distillation after maceration? Angelica and Hyssop come through, but again, not a lot of descernible wormwood. The brandy, while obviously of good quality (imparting some wood and old books to the flavor), takes control of the overall flavor profile. If it were toned down a bit, and the herbs were allowed to come to the forefront a bit more, I'd give it a 4.

Finish: The brandy is there, but the herbs assert themselves a bit more in the finish. Very clean and enjoyable with hints of holiday spices at the very end.

Overall: This is a nice drink. I quite like it. However, it does have its flaws. While the brandy tastes wonderful, it's a bit too assertive for my tastes. Also, I'd like to see a bit heavier of a hand for the coloration step to see a bit more green.

If they fixed those two issues, this would be a no-brainer to keep in stock in my bar.