COLOR BEFORE WATER 8/10
A nice clear green color. The only thing that could be better is if it was just a bit deeper. Clearly natural and certainly no flaws.

LOUCHE ACTION 6/10
The louche is very quick and very thick. There's definitely nothing wrong with the louche itself but it's clearly the result of star anise, which I would say is what lowers the Louche Action slightly as it is a bit too instant.

COLOR AFTER WATER 8/10
A nice light green, milky thick and not much to complain about really.

AROMA 22/30
The initial aroma is very fresh and minty. It reveals some tempting floral notes lingering behind this mintiness along with a clear wormwood scent. It is slightly disturbed by a lemony touch that is so often found in the Spanish absentas. That combined with the mintiness is overpowering the rest which really would benefit from being let out into full bloom. There is so much promise hiding in there. My guess is that this is due to the star anise which is obviously used.

If the amount of star anise would be toned down, the full body of the absinthe would be let out.

MOUTH-FEEL 7/10
The Valkyria has a very creamy and rich mouth-feel but would benefit from less of the toungue-numbing star anise. That would balance the mouth-feel wonderfully.

TASTE 16/20
The taste of the Valkyria is definitely not bad - however, the star anise takes away some of what I can tell could've been there. Valkyria Absinthe holds so much inside. There are so many flavours and scents just waiting to come out. If you really take your time you will find many underlying flavours, just as with the aroma, wanting to burst out. The one thing stopping it is the star anise lending its minty profile all over the place.

It is those underlying flavours that actually lift the entire taste part of the Valkyria. If it wasn't for all that goodness hiding in there, it would've been a rather uninteresting drink. But as it is now, it shows so much promise.

OVERALL IMPRESSION 7/10
All in all I think the Valkyria is a nice absinthe. I have no problem drinking it and I certainly will buy more of it. It reminds a lot of a better Spanish absenta and as the first Swedish absinthe in modern times it's a very good product.

Personally I would love to see it with less star anise. That would enable the full potential of the drink which I can clearly tell is there in the background.

Hartsmar scores Absinthe Valkyria 74 out of 100

COLOR BEFORE WATER 7/10
Dark green, no turning to yellow or brown with age. Quite OK.

LOUCHE ACTION 8/10
Louches well from bottom up when water is dripped into it.

COLOR AFTER WATER 7/10
Light green without much effects, somewhat grayish in color.

AROMA 12/30
Neat in the bottle or in the glass it has a strong candy-like anise aroma and a weak, kind of eucalyptus/camphor aroma (similar to some oil-mix Spanish absentas).

After louching the anise aroma weakens and a strong disturbingly perfumey odor/aroma dominates, especially when sipped.

MOUTH-FEEL 6/10
Nothing special but drinkable anyway.

TASTE 11/20
Anise sweet only slightly, more bitter than it should be to be enjoyable. Here again it is like oil-mix absinthes from Spain.

OVERALL IMPRESSION 5/10
I did not find it very enjoyable, however, it is "interestingly different" to put it nicely.

Bruno Rygseck scores Nemesinthe 56 out of 100

COLOR BEFORE WATER 9/10
Crystal clear. Heck, it's a blanche, it should be!

LOUCHE ACTION 9/10
Strong and impressive. Like the fog in the Swiss Creux-Du-Van last time I visited.

COLOR AFTER WATER 9/10
The result is a very thick glass of milky white absinthe with some oilyness on top, this one must be full of essential oils indeed.

AROMA 26/30
Before water: (roman) chamomile together with anise, accompanied by something subtly floral.

After water: the chamomile, oh the chamomile! And all the other aromas you can expect from a blanche, such as (star?)anise and fennel. The floral component is there too, a little stronger but I still can't say what it could be. Great!

MOUTH-FEEL 10/10
Oh, so soft! This was diluted with 3 parts of water. No alcohol stings, no harshness, nothing bad at all. Am I licking velvet or what?

TASTE 18/20
As this is the "Helfrich recipe" you would of course expect the above said presence of roman chamomile. And it's there alright! Generally it's a bit sweeter than Helfrich's own blanche, perhaps there is some liquorice root in it or more of it than Helfrich used to have, but that's OK for me. Definitely don't use sugar with this one. The wormwood taste is also present, albeit in the back, where it belongs for a blanche. Very good anise too, adding to the sweetness. Fennel hides until way after the initial taste impressions. This is great stuff! Lots to discover.

OVERALL IMPRESSION 9/10
This absinthe shows how small differences can occur when someone else uses the same recipe, herbs and alembic, and in this case even the same location. A tadd sweeter than what Helfrich made, but certainly a very, very good follow-up to his legendary blanche. Akveld learned every trick from the master, after all.

Abisnthia scores Akveld's Artisanale Absinthe Blanche 90 out of 100

COLOR BEFORE WATER 9/10
Quite deep, green turning to golden.

LOUCHE ACTION 7/10
With patience this absinthe louches perfectly but I could not make it produce turbulent clouds, fine layers nevertheless.

COLOR AFTER WATER 8/10
Nearly opaque light green, not too white, natural looking.

AROMA 25/30
Neat: flowering wormwood, a little bit meady, some light fruity notes. Same after water, solid, proper absinthe aroma where individual herb aromas are combined in good balance.

MOUTH-FEEL 9/10
Tingling, velvety, cool, absolutely no burning or heat.

TASTE 16/20
Fine sweetness from anise, light herbal dryness that cannot be called 'bitter' in any other way but the way absinthe should be. Sweetness increases in aftertaste somewhat.

OVERALL IMPRESSION 9/10
Wonderfully many absinthe aromas and proper taste including sweetness packed in just 56% ABV. Very much recommended.

Bruno Rygseck scores La Berthe de Joux 83 out of 100

COLOR BEFORE WATER 7/10
Light greenish brown, somewhat towards feuille morte but not very deep.

LOUCHE ACTION 8/10
Properly louching although not so many swirling clouds (water poured). A dripper and patience produced a good layered louche.

COLOR AFTER WATER 8/10
Opaque green.

AROMA 27/30
Juicy, anisey, aroma of flowering wormwood and a hint of cardamom before water. During and after water the aromas come into full bloom: the cardamom (kind of) stays behind while more citrusy and absinthe-herbal aromas emerge.

MOUTH-FEEL 9/10
Velvety and kind to the palate, leaves a pleasantly dry after-mouthfeel.

TASTE 18/20
The taste is very well balanced. Anise (and fennel?) leave room for the tongue-tingling, not numbing, sensations provided by the herbal bill.

OVERALL IMPRESSION 9/10
Floral, herbal, balanced; excellent product. Stylish bottling, too.

PERSONAL NOTES
Tasted without sugar.

Bruno Rygseck scores La Grenouille 86 out of 100

COLOR BEFORE WATER 8/10
A clear and natural light peridot with a touch more yellow than I'm used to from Pernot, perhaps this is due to the absinthe's aging.

LOUCHE ACTION 8/10
A slow and steady louche forms with light smoke and clouds. Not as dramatic as some, but it was pleasant to watch, and had a clear layer above, right to the end.

COLOR AFTER WATER 8/10
The final color is an attractive blend of greens, whites and copper at the edges. The louche is a bit on the thinner side, but not overly so. A steady drip or very fine stream is needed to bring the louche out to the fullest it can be.

AROMA 30/30
The aroma neat is delicious and promising. It's clean, crisp, and warm. The presence of the wormwood is powerful, and light florals and herbals peek out. As water is added, the aroma blossoms and fills the room with alpine floral elements.

MOUTH-FEEL 8/10
A rich and smooth mouth-feel, without being overly thick.

TASTE 20/20
A delicious and well-conceived absinthe. The wormwood is crisp and alive…there is a feral quality to this absinthe. Layers of flavor are present from a wonderful balance of wormwood, anise and fennel mixed with light spice and florals. Everything works together well. There is a delicate bitterness I enjoy, perhaps from the wild wormwood; though I don't often use sugar, half a cube really brought out the magic for me. The base is warm and sophisticated.

OVERALL IMPRESSION 9/10
One of my favorite commercial absinthes, for certain. A worthy project, and an homage to wormwood.

PERSONAL NOTES
The finish is wonderful. It builds slowly, with a pleasant tingle on the tongue and roof of the mouth. It lingers well, and is layered with spice, florals and citrus.

Sampled at 3:1 and 4:1 with and without sugar. I've settled on 3.5:1 with 1/2 a sugar cube as my favorite for this absinthe.

sbmac scores Sauvage 91 out of 100

COLOR BEFORE WATER 6/10
It looks natural but strongly colored, maybe a bit too much. It is green with a hint of yellow. Color may improve with aging as it is a very young absinthe. It is not perfectly clear even after standing straight for a few days in the dark so I will have to deduce some more points.

LOUCHE ACTION 7/10
I'm adding about 4 part water to one part absinthe. It does louche evenly and pretty fast. Nothing special there.

COLOR AFTER WATER 6/10
I've seen worse but it is still somewhat swampy. Coloration is too strong.

AROMA 24/30
Neat :With such a strong coloration I would expect a nice pontica aroma but all I smell is the dominant alcohol base. This unbalance the drink but I would expect the aroma to mellow and blend after a year or so of aging so I’ll just try to forget this bottle for a while. The alcohol base is exuberant but it still feels good. Actually it leaves me perplex and I'm not sure if I like it or not. Interesting I would say. My intuition is this alcool base is missing another pass through the still.

After louche, no sugar: Adding water will release a sweet and herbal perfume but I would not go as far as calling this "room filling". I can now smell some citrusy notes on top of the fruity alcohol base, probably coming from Melissa.
Putting my nose back to the now empty measuring glass offers a very enjoyable experience. The residue of neat absinthe of the sides of the measuring glass lingers. I can now detect wormwood floating on top of the fruity sweet base. I’ve seen this combination of smells in the past develop into a powdery marvel after aging. This is where Taboo gold wins back a few aroma points.

MOUTH-FEEL 5/10
A bit thin and metallic with water and no sugar. Actually it was much better without water. With sugar it gets much better but it also increases the fruity notes. If you like it, it’s fine. I’m forced to penalise it for my initial impression.

TASTE 15/20
neat : I took a tiny sip neat and let it roll on my tongue. This surprisingly taste good even if a little weird. It is fruity, spicy and herbal. The alcohol base dominate the whole profile but it is not unpleasant.

4:1 water : citrusy. Adding some sugar improves the overall impression. It really tastes fruity in a distracting kind of way. I still gives it a relatively good score because it is really nice when tasted neat, which is extremely rare.

OVERALL IMPRESSION 8/10
I may end up enjoying this absinthe neat in a tiny cordial glass, something I usually never do. I give it a good score here because I always really like to smell my empty measuring glass after finishing a glass of absinthe. The smell it leaves is rich and very pleasing. I think this is an original absinthe that will improve with age. I’m glad I got a bottle to satisfy my curiosity but I would not buy a case.

Wolfgang scores Taboo Gold 71 out of 100

Reviewed by absinthist 4/6/2009

COLOR BEFORE WATER 7/10
pleasant, greenish yellow

LOUCHE ACTION 10/10
delicate, gradual, no opacity

COLOR AFTER WATER 6/10
whitish, too white for my taste

AROMA 25/30
Unknown, unique, musky, something not common, very inviting

MOUTH-FEEL 7/10
Grassy, melissa together with some uncommon herbs, not spices, no anethole buddies. Light and crisp. Very nice if 100% unusual for an absinthe

TASTE 19/20
Very bitter, strong pontica comes thru, pontica bomb that eats your tongue, lots of complexity. What the fuck is that?

OVERALL IMPRESSION 7/10
As absinthe it is very idiosyncratic and unsual. Nothing traditional about it. On the other hand, it has great uncommon, rare personality

absinthist scores Taboo Gold 81 out of 100

Reviewed by Wolfgang 2/23/2010

COLOR BEFORE WATER 7/10
I don't think it was too strongly collored anymore. If the %abv was higher, it would help to keep the color. As it is, it is already turning yellowish.

LOUCHE ACTION 8/10
I'm adding about 4 part water to one part absinthe. It does louche nicely.

COLOR AFTER WATER 6/10
A bit too yellow for my own preference. Could be greener.

AROMA 27/30
The aroma did actually mellow and blend after an extra year and a half of aging. The alcohol base is still exuberant but it is not bad, just very upfront.

Putting my nose back to the now empty measuring glass offers a very enjoyable experience. In my first review of this same bottle I wrote: "I've seen this combination of smells in the past develop into a powdery marvel after aging" and this is exactly what's happening. If only the alcool base was not so prominent, it would be an exceptional absinthe.

MOUTH-FEEL 7/10
It could be creamier but it is still acceptable. The more balanced aromas also probably influence it.

TASTE 16/20
4:1 water + sugar : It really still tastes fruity in a distracting kind of way but the wormwood managed to grow through the fruit and is now clearly one of the major player of this absinthe. I first tasted it without sugar but the wormwood (and pontica) are strong enough to justify a sugar cube.The melissa slipped somewhat behind, which is a good thing and make the drink a little bit less citrussy.

OVERALL IMPRESSION 8/10
Re-tasted after over a year of aging.My overall impression remains the same but not for the same reason. I now offer an 8 less for originality and more for actual product quality that only age can truely let shine.

Wolfgang scores Taboo Gold 79 out of 100

COLOR BEFORE WATER 7/10
A nice yellow-green. Maybe ½ a degree too neon bright, but it might be natural (I am pretending that I haven’t read the label and don’t know it is really artificially colored). Basically correct and even attractive.

LOUCHE ACTION 8/10
Decent trails, entertaining, decently paced cloud layer formation.

COLOR AFTER WATER 7/10
Natural looking light greenish-yellow. Has opalescence and depth but could be better.

AROMA 7/30
Before water: Unpleasantly harsh alcohol aroma with a black jelly bean underpinning.

After water: Simple star anise or green anise oil, whatever it is, it’s pretty flat. Along with this is a very unappetizing scent that smells to me almost like rubbing alcohol. I ended up sinking the first glass because of this. I had another glass from my large sample bottle a few months later, and this was more subdued- but still slightly off-putting.

MOUTH-FEEL 4/10
Not harsh in any way, moderate tongue numbing, not much body or creaminess. Neither compliments, nor detracts.

TASTE 7/20
A bit o’ the ol’ black jelly bean taste here. Very simple star anise type (possibly green anise also, but it doesn't seem to make a difference). I think I might taste a little fennel and some basic wormwood in the finish. Overall, it’s much flatter and more one dimensional as I’d like it to be, as well as the significant minus of being presweetened (as we know authentic absinthe is not). The funny thing is, the flavor and aroma are actually a bit better after 6 months of aging, which is likely due in part to the producer not having aged it all.

OVERALL IMPRESSION 3/10
It’s true that there’s worse tasting and less authentic out there (though that's not saying much). But I think the fact that this product is retailed at around the same price point as real absinthe superieurs, and that their big money marketing machine touts it as a high quality offering is really irritating. If they got rid of the added sugar and set the price at around $10 a bottle, I might be persuaded to get a bottle in hard times (to be consumed mostly in cocktails and only after aging). But as it is, no way I could recommend wasting the money they’re asking for on this.

PERSONAL NOTES
Louched 3:1 with medium fountain drip, no sugar.

Green Baron scores Grande Absente 44 out of 100

COLOR BEFORE WATER 9/10
Vibrant light peridot. Super green, but I know this absinthe is a little young, so I know it will go through some changes before it settles down. Good clarity, but like it's sibling has just a minor amount of haze. Damn nice overall.

LOUCHE ACTION 9/10
Thick, layering trails that seem to move on their own accord when the pour is paused. A nice swirling yet very well defined fog bank forms at a good pace and slowly infiltrates the clear top layer, bouncing with every drop of water.

COLOR AFTER WATER 8/10
Pleasing lime green, the final louche is a little on thick side, but with good depth and highlights.

AROMA 28/30
-Before water- A bit of alcohol sharpness, sweet floral perfume, lightly herbaceous

-After water- As water is added, the perfume issues forth. Not the most “room filling”, but definitely enticing from a couple feet away. The perfume from before develops into refreshing floral notes in the high range and bottom of balanced, herbaceous petite wormwood (pontica).

MOUTH-FEEL 8/10
Not as thick and creamy as found in the Pontarlier and other absinthe styles, but falls more into a nice, smooth satin (similar to the mouthfeel Pacifique) with mild tongue numbing.

TASTE 19/20
Floral sweetness, soft anise, refined spice, and hints of citrus, with the pontica again contributing really a great herbal flavor. Refined but deliciously bitter grand wormwood completes the excellent balance, and continues with us through the finish.

OVERALL IMPRESSION 9/10
This is a wonderful, flowery (this is the 4th time I’ve mentioned a floral characteristic for good reason), feminine absinthe. This gal is soft, clean and wonderfully balanced, but she has plenty of flavor power. I think this absinthe can be equally appreciated by newcomers (possibly even the anise adverse) and experienced absintheurs.

PERSONAL NOTES
Tasted at aprox 3.5:1 and 4:1 with fountain drip and pitcher pour respectively, no sugar. Batch# 09-2, Bottle 10.

Update: Like it's sibling, Walton Waters, the color has taken on a deep olive hue and the flavors have opened up. Unexpectedly, the wormwood has become really powerful in this one as well (duh, she said so in the description, but the Aa was pretty tame at first). Absinthium and violets= yum!

Green Baron scores Delaware Pheonix Meadow of Love 90 out of 100

COLOR BEFORE WATER 9/10
Vibrant, nearly forest- green, nearly clear, but with a bit of haze. I believe the deep green is due to the young age of this absinthe, and in 3 weeks I have already seen it move just so slightly towards peridot.

LOUCHE ACTION 9/10
Thick, impressive trails that seem to bounce into fluffy knots and then form little jelly layers. Cloud grows at about the perfect rate, is well defined and reaches into the clear top section when disturbed by water drops.

COLOR AFTER WATER 8/10
Very nice medium lime; natural and attractive. Thicker than some, but has good depth.

AROMA 27/30
-Before water- Clean alcohol heat, prominent citrus, and a deep herbal tone that’s due especially to the wormwood and fennel.
-After water- Sweet floral and citrus up front. Backing herbaceous notes that are cohesive, but I think I can pick out the grand and petite wormwoods and maybe a little powdery hyssop.

MOUTH-FEEL 9/10
Very nice- smooth and full, with a mild, yet spicy tingle.

TASTE 17/20
Sweet anise and fennel are first up, then act as a foundation to let smooth citrus, minty bitter wormwood, finely balanced herb mélange and light spice come through. I agree with the assessment that one should roll it around a bit more than usual before swallowing to get the most out of the tasty wormwood and other herbs. It wouldn’t surprising if the flavor opens up more as the absinthe matures.

The finish is has good staying power, with the grand wormwood coming out a little more for a savory bitter send off.

OVERALL IMPRESSION 9/10
This is a great absinthe that I do not hesitate to recommend. Slightly bolder (I get more grand wormwood, and less petite, comparatively) and creamier than its sibling, Meadow of Love. The soft lemon-citrus notes and almost juicy mouthfeel distinguish it, yet pays tribute to the classic Pontarlier style. Another for my top 10.

PERSONAL NOTES
Louched 3:1, no sugar. Batch 09-3 Bottle 29.

Update: After a several months of aging, the flavors have indeed opened up quite nicely, and the color has turned into a nice deep olive. Of particular note, the wormwood profile has grown quite tall now in a very good way!

Green Baron scores Delaware Pheonix Walton Waters 88 out of 100

COLOR BEFORE WATER 8/10
A good shade of light lime yellow-green. I also think of it as “lime peridot”. A little more towards the straw/amber range than the photos I’ve seen online though (*shrug* aint got nothin' against natural aging).

LOUCHE ACTION 7/10
Good trails, but a little quick to form a cloud up to the clear top layer (more showy roiling would have been nice). The line does have good staying power and puts on a little show before it goes away.

COLOR AFTER WATER 8/10
Good glowy pale lime.

AROMA 25/30
Before water- Grape and mint with earthy, herby undertones.

After water- The grape and mint overtones stay at the forefront, then lead right into sweet herbal pontica, citrus and a subdued earthiness. Not totally room filling, but does have some range, and I find it quite pleasant.

MOUTH-FEEL 8/10
On the thinner side of creamy, but it’s a nice, smooth satin. Brisk mint and wormwood in the finish keep the sweet flavors from the grape and anise away from cloying territory.

TASTE 15/20
A very tasty- if pronounced- grape in front, leading right into strong mint, with anise, vanilla, lemon citrus, and slight grassy notes developing mid palate. At one point when some of these meet, the product website’s description of “candied plum” notes is quite accurate. Though flavorful, this is definitely a lighter absinthe than most vertes, and I find myself downing a little quicker than the average verte.

OVERALL IMPRESSION 8/10
This absinthe definitely has its own personality. It took several days after opening for the mint-dry-grassiness to stop dominating and let other flavors to come forth and find a balance (sugar helped a bit during this phase). I’m a sucker for a nice grape base, and I think they did very well there. I agree with folks that refer to this as a light desert or summer absinthe. Some may never like the idiosyncrasies even after breathing, but I’m quite fond of this Spanish treat.

PERSONAL NOTES
Louched 3:1, fountain drip. Sugar was used in the first week after opening, afterwards I went with no sugar as usual.

Green Baron scores Obsello Absinthe Verte 79 out of 100