Emile Coulin, Reviewed Options

[hartsmar]

AVERAGE SCORE 65


Reviewed by hartsmar 11/15/2006

COLOR BEFORE WATER 5/10
The question here is wether or not it is intended to be a blanche. I think so. The problem is that there is this very slight yellow tinge to it which I do believe is actually coming from either added wormwood extracts or possibly a quick "coloration" with wormwood.

LOUCHE ACTION 7/10
The louche builds up slowly but steady with a nice clear layer on top all the way until it's completely louched. Not very spectacular but it gets there.

COLOR AFTER WATER 7/10
Greyish white with a little hint of that yellow. Pretty nice though.

AROMA 20/30
I've had this bottle for about four years and it's clear that this has benefitted from the ageing. The dominant nose is from anise and mint with a fresh hint of melissa. Not bad but it doesn't show any top quality in the ingredients or any real blooming here.

MOUTH-FEEL 4/10
Initially it's a nice round and creamy mouth-feel. After swallowing it, it leaves an unpleasant sticky bitterness in the mouth though. Now, did I mention wormwood oil?

TASTE 7/20
At first it presents a nice quite good taste of a simple but decent blanche. It is, however, completely destroyed by the terrible bitter finish.

OVERALL IMPRESSION 4/10
If they would only get rid of the notion that wormwood needs to be added as extracts or an additional maceration after an otherwise nice distillate is finished, this could be a decent product. It isn't now.

PERSONAL NOTES
Funny thing here is that it has been pre-sweetened according to the label. It could use a lot more sugar to level that bitterness. And, with sugar added to the drink it gets better. So... Considering the price and if you have nothing else, it might do the trick. I wouldn't run off buying it and expect wonders though. There is much better stuff to be had.

hartsmar scores Emile Coulin 54 out of 100


Reviewed by absinthist 9/14/2010

COLOR BEFORE WATER 9/10
Relatively clear, not yellow-tinged like FG, but not 100% clear

LOUCHE ACTION 10/10
Turbulent, at first delicate

COLOR AFTER WATER 10/10
Blanche. Ends opaque

AROMA 23/30
The scent of aniseed, a sugary aniseed, but not star anise, no herbal aroma, pleasant

MOUTH-FEEL 6/10
Anisy with bitter undertone. Very simple, simpler than in Segarra which contains wormwood and anise only. Mouthfeel is not heavy, it is too short

TASTE 13/20
Anise, anise, maybe fennel, some star anise and wormwood in the finish. Wormwood is pronounced too strongly and anise profile is too sugary. Libation is pleasant, 1:3, yet the herb-bill requires much work.

OVERALL IMPRESSION 5/10
Absinthe ordinaire. Good sipper, needs cuts on anise. Pleasant and that is all. Could be elaborated more

absinthist scores Emile Coulin 76 out of 100

[hartsmar]

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