I never had the original, but this appears to be improved greatly over it, from what I'm hearing from people who've had both.

Sampled 2.5:1, 3:1 with no sugar. Higher is inappropriate for the absinthe, as it's ABV is 45, and it would simply be too weak and thin. It is lightly bitter, but there is enough sweetness in this for me as is. Some might like this more with sugar.

Color: a natural light green with a bit of yellow, just a tad thin for my eye.

Louche: The louche is a bit thin, but not overly so, and is ample for this absinthe.
It is complete by 2:1 with a slow ice-cold slow drip. It's opalescent, but just a tad too thin to be ideal for me. I'm giving it a 4 here, as I feel it works with this absinthe, and a 3 would be too low.

Aroma: Quite nice. Herbs, hints of flowers and plenty of wormwood.

Flavor: I like this, and find it has a very decent wormwood-forward personality. It is not terribly complex, but it is tasty enough that I reach for the bottle from time to time, and enjoy the glass.

Finish: A decent finish, just not remarkable. It recedes fairly quickly, but nothing jumps out in a bad way at all. I enjoy the flavor in the finish...a nice wormwood presence.

Overall: This is a good choice for casual drinking, as it is a full liter for a very good price. I would share this with friends for an afternoon drink, and for a nice glass at night just to relax. It would be a nice choice for a large party as well, due to its size. This absinthe has a place on the shelf for me as a casual enjoyable absinthe. If you are ordering from Europe, this might be a good choice to pad the total to a free-shipping level.