COLOR BEFORE WATER 8/10
A saturated grass hue, somewhat olive but not as drab.

LOUCHE ACTION 8/10
It gets thicker uniformly, no swirly globs or tendrils, but is adequate, if a little uneventful.

COLOR AFTER WATER 10/10
Luminous green all the way through. Looks as good as Jade Edouard louched.

AROMA 23/30
The aroma stays in the glass, and has an earthen grit behind it. Smells a tad over-colored, though that may dissipate with age. There is attractive anise fruit though and subtle wormwood behind alcohol heat, so it's not off putting, though could be more enticing.

MOUTH-FEEL 8/10
A good balance between bite and smoothness. Lingers on the tongue sufficiently with some delightful creaminess at the back end.

TASTE 15/20
What's in there is good, but nothing particularly pops. There is evidence of good quality wormwood and anise, along with some coloring herb attitude. Some of the dank coloring character translates into the taste, but it's way in the back and is subtle enough to not distract. The Fennel lingers a very long time, though the length it lingers allows one to notice the taste of the fennel seed husk more than the fruit. But it still tastes good, certainly enough to motivate following up the first glass with a second.

OVERALL IMPRESSION 8/10
This is the best assemblage distillate I've had by a long shot, though I personally prefer whole distillates. I wish it was more fragrant and assertive, but it is nonetheless a quality absinthe that one likely won't regret owning. The label is fantastic, the best I've seen on an absinthe bottle.

Donnie Darko scores Coquette 80 out of 100

COLOR BEFORE WATER 8/10
When viewed through the clear bottle this absinthe is the darkest, deepest olive I've seen in a commerical absinthe. It isn't quite as amber-hued as the Belle Amie and is as opaque as the Verte de Fougerolles and appears completely natural. When poured into a Portarlier-style glass the light helps bring a greener tint forward.

LOUCHE ACTION 5/10
The louche is disappointing. It starts suddenly at about 2.5:1 but never really takes form or manages to reach that lazy, clouded turbulence that makes superb absinthe such an impressive visual experience. The first time I watered this absinthe became an overpour because I kept waiting for the louche to flower.

COLOR AFTER WATER 4/10
The color after louche is the single weakest aspect of this absinthe. The liquid never reaches opacity and the fine before-louche color washes into a thin, yellowish haze with little nuance or luminescence.

AROMA 20/30
There is a noticeable alcohol tang when sniffed straight from the bottle but when resting in the glass before water the herbal qualities become more prominent. After the addition of water the scent thins a bit but retains a pleasant minty bitterness.

MOUTH-FEEL 7/10
This absinthe feels a bit too thin but is still pleasant and enjoyable. I would like it to coat the tongue a bit more than it does at present. It leaves a slight silken residue when swallowed.

TASTE 14/20
The predominant taste to this absinthe is wormwood; anise is present but far from the most prevalent flavor, other mountain herbs play minor supporting roles. There is a light, minty bitterness that lingers on the tongue after swallowing. I 'm sure that traditionalists would penalize this absinthe much more dramatically for the lack of anise but I find it very enjoyable. It's a fine addition to the swiftly-growing list of US-legal absinthes. I hope they don't add too much anise to future batches.

OVERALL IMPRESSION 6/10
Leopold Bros Absinthe Verte requires some fine tuning -- most notably to the louche and color -- but is really a fine, worthy entry to the pantheon with potential to become truly outstanding.

Hemingway's Hangover scores Leopold Bros Absinthe Verte 64 out of 100

Reviewed by Steyr850 8/27/2008

COLOR BEFORE WATER 6/10
As stated, the color is very dark green, but clear. This is not a sparkler. Light has a hard time penetrating. It is natural looking though, with no strange hues.

LOUCHE ACTION 7/10
The louche was solid in this sample. While a little slow, it was deliberate. Nothing really showed up until around 1:1, but it came in the form of a thickening rather than the usual plumes of smoke. Near 2:1, it was still building with a slight clear line finally becoming visible at the top giving reference to just how thick it is. Finished up, it's like custard.

COLOR AFTER WATER 6/10
Color holds dark green with no letting up well past 1:1. Only until around 2:1 does it begin to shift toward a lighter tone, but is still bold like split-pea soup. At around 3:1, the color/texture had finally shifted away from the darkness to a strong, yellow-green. Might be a little too strong for standard, but I liked it. This is not an opalescent absinthe, you will not see through it.

AROMA 25/30
The nose neat is quite herbal. Alcohol bite is detectable and there is a honey-molasses tone along with the usual bill. There's also an herbal oddity in there I couldn't put a finger on. A few whiffs mid-louche revealed an easing up of its presence and more of a balance with the others. However, nearing the end it had fallen back and there was now more of an unusual tropical fruit scent upfront. I kept smelling it over and over but couldn't pin it down. The closest I came was pineapple or mango. Overall, not as traditional as I expected, but quite interesting and likable.

MOUTH-FEEL 6/10
As I imagined, mouth feel was thick, full, and creamy. After a few sips a numbing began to set in though.

TASTE 15/20
First sip supports that tropical fruit, but it plays out more in the nose than in taste. Anise is there, but seemed a little odd, almost like star. It was a little reminiscent of the taste and added sweetness it gives St. George minus the obvious Ragu. Not offensive though, and that fruitiness still held my attention. I will say that I’d like to see the wormwood take a more prominent role, as I found it a little difficult to place in both nose and taste. Again, a little different, but not unpleasantly so.

OVERALL IMPRESSION 7/10
Overall, a good absinthe. Color is a little darker than usual, louche is steady and solid even though a tad uneventful, taste borders on idiosyncratic but can still be identifiable as absinthe. It’d be interesting to sample this prior to the coloring step to see where things build, but maybe just a lighter coloring step might go along way in balancing most of these things out. I do think it shows a lot of promise. I like the uniqueness in this one and will definitely pick up a bottle when it becomes available in my area. Thanks Todd for the sample and keep up the good work.

PERSONAL NOTES
Not sure which version, but I'm assuming it’s more recent than Hemingway's review based on differences of opinion mainly with the louche action. Anyways…

Steyr850 scores Leo Bro's Verte 72 out of 100

COLOR BEFORE WATER 8/10
A clear, bright, and natural light green. Personally, I'd prefer the ridiculous, overdone fake green colours if it were possible to get them naturally, but my preference is not at issue, here. No sediment, and again, it's green–not close to it, or greenish, but green. That's all I want or expect from an all-natural absinthe.

LOUCHE ACTION 7/10
I didn't have a dripper, so I carefully applied the cold water to the spoon–with one sugar cube–from a shot glass. At the completion of 1:1, it began. No oil trails for me, but a robust cloud forming from 1:1 onwards. It sustained itself, and grew at a steady rate as I did my best, sans a proper dripper.

COLOR AFTER WATER 7/10
I've read just about every review here, so what can I add to "opaque?" To me, it had the same combination of light green on white as the plastic glow-in-the-dark toys I had as a child. This was at 4:4, when I stopped. I like to sip for a very long time, and the louche did not recede throughout the evening.

AROMA 25/30
To me, it is licorice and mint, with an alcohol bite. I don't have the expertise to discern between green and star anise. After water, it is the same to me, but the alcohol is gone. The aroma took over the room; good, strong stuff, I say!

MOUTH-FEEL 7/10
I didn't notice any alcohol distraction. It is rich, yet light, like fine silk, as opposed to something rich and heavy. Is this lightness the "baby powder" I've read about? To me, it is.

TASTE 15/20
In order of strength: anise, mint, and wormwood. There is more going on which I wish I had the experience to note, but as they say, "It's all good."

OVERALL IMPRESSION 8/10
Of the bottle, some people might not like the plastic cork, but I didn't mind it. The glass is very dark bluish green. The label is tall and thin, like the bottle, itself. Its bright green letters are entwined with white plants and flowers, suggesting to me an area of a dark forest that is, in some way, magical. A very strong label, and a classy departure from the standard Pernod Fils imitations, which I am sick of, or the weird labels, which I can also do without.

As for the drink, itself, my history with absinthe was a knowledge of its lore, and then, a chance encounter with Hiil's, which was repulsive. But, given that the Hill's was expensive, I thought it might be a quality product, which it isn't. Then, I had another encounter, this time with Clandestine La Bleue. Much better. After that, some Taboo, and, as a Canadian, Taboo became the absinthe for me. My review may not be amongst the most knowledgeable here, but I know what I like, and I appreciate quality in all things. I advise you to appreciate the fine quality of Absinthe Taboo, as well.

Darren R scores Taboo 77 out of 100

COLOR BEFORE WATER 6/10
Thin greyish green, looks natural but is somewhat off.

LOUCHE ACTION 7/10
Rather quick louche, thick and turbulent when water was poured.

COLOR AFTER WATER 6/10
Too white to be a verte but almost milk-thick when fully louched. Not unappetizing or ugly in any way, though.

AROMA 21/30
Before water the aroma is between medicinal and fruity, after water similar but weaker. Delicious and well recognizable as absinthe to the nose. When sipped, wormwood aroma rises from mouth to nose. It is so much stronger than usually found in distilled absinthes that I wonder whether A.a. has been used in the coloring step too. If so, it did not affect the taste so much (see below).

MOUTH-FEEL 7/10
Somewhat burning or biting, pastis-like. Not so much that it would disturb. After swallowing it left a medicinal aftertaste/feel. Generally a positive experience nevertheless.

TASTE 15/20
A little bitterness and some anise sweetness in balance. No bad aftertaste, easy to drink despite the star anise (badiane) burn. The bitterness is not so disturbing as to put this drink into the "Ordinarie's Blunder" category, it is quite well controlled.

OVERALL IMPRESSION 7/10
I like it a lot for what it is, a drink which tries to fill in the gap between pastis and absinthe as clearly stated on its label. Maybe good for learning the star anise/green anise difference in mouth-feel and taste.

Bruno Rygseck scores La Bonne Mère 69 out of 100

COLOR BEFORE WATER 7/10
Nice dark olive with an amber tint, but too deep.

LOUCHE ACTION 5/10
Louches correctly with slow iced water drip and specially with sugar. Quickly overwaters, needs great care. A very light (or almost none) louche without sugar and regular drip. So let's say it does louche decently if carefully prepared.

COLOR AFTER WATER 5/10
If correctly louched, retains its nice deep olive tint, but overall not very inviting because of its lack of opalescence.

AROMA 21/30
Alcohol is not overpowering, nice floral bouquet (thanks Veronica!), just lacks a little something on the balance and complexity side, like a rich wormwood or a savory anise aroma.

MOUTH-FEEL 4/10
Slightly biting but thin.

TASTE 8/20
That's where it hurts. Not really unpleasant but clearly shows some flaws. Over-distilled that conducts to a non-existent wormwood flavor and almost non-existent anise and fennel flavors. Over-colored that conducts to overpowering pontica/hyssop/veronica flavors. Result : totally unbalanced. I gave it a 8 specially for the veronica that leaves a nice finish.

OVERALL IMPRESSION 7/10
It's not a bad product per se, it's even really encouraging coming from that part of Europe (hence the 7 for the encouragements and the lovely bottle and label), and I'm sure Martin can easily improve it by lightening his distillation method and by having a less heavy hand on the coloration step.
This is the best Czech absinthe I've ever tasted (ok, easy one), and (I hope) soon to be a good absinthe as such.

mthuilli scores St Antoine 57 out of 100

Reviewed by absinthist 5/28/2008

COLOR BEFORE WATER 10/10
My sample is a nice almost feuille morte with a shade of greenish and little yellow. Looks natural and smells natural.

LOUCHE ACTION 4/10
Delicate, at 1:1-1:2, there are oils dancing only. Becomes translucent, rather not opaque. Be careful or you overwater it.

COLOR AFTER WATER 9/10
Becomes green, very nice to look at. Confirms the natural colouration.

AROMA 25/30
Veronica. Some pontica, and anise. Pleasant, not much of alcohol smell, inviting.

MOUTH-FEEL 4/10
Rounded, spicy, a bit unbalanced.

TASTE 18/20
Veronica in the front and veronica in the back, ladies and gentlemen, this is veronica bomb! Second comes pontica, so definitely colouration was strong and definite, then some little hyssop becomes snitty, and there is a nice floral wormwood aspect, whilst anethole buddies are in the back. Taste is complex, spicy, unusual but quite nice.

OVERALL IMPRESSION 7/10
A real Durchbruch in absinthes made in the Czech Republic. It will not appeal to everyone because of strong colouration and delicate louche action, but I am very satisfied with it and I must add I am making the 2nd glass of St. Antoine, just for pleasure. That absinthe requires some work: louche department needs fining, wormwood note should be more pronounced, and colouring herbs subdued, of course, but it is a nice, traditional if unusual product.

absinthist scores Absinthe St. Antoine 77 out of 100

Reviewed by spoon 6/3/2008

COLOR BEFORE WATER 7/10
Attractive dark olive/amber.

LOUCHE ACTION 3/10
I couldn’t get it to louche as well as mthuilli. I don’t use sugar, but I always use very cold water and lots of ice in the fountain, with a slow drip. The louche was very thin.

COLOR AFTER WATER 4/10
Not terribly attractive thinly translucent drab olive.

AROMA 18/30
Neat, I smell the nice aroma of the coloring herbs, with some nice floral character. I don’t smell the alcohol at all. After louche, it’s just a bit weaker.

MOUTH-FEEL 4/10
Thin and slightly biting, but the more I sip it the less I find it objectionable.

TASTE 9/20
Almost all I can taste are the coloring herbs. There’s only a weak presence of wormwood, anise, and fennel. It’s actually rather pleasant, but is clearly lacking the most important flavors that should be in absinthe. Before this, I wasn’t really sure what veronica tastes like, but now I’m pretty sure I recognize it. That aspect is quite nice.

OVERALL IMPRESSION 6/10
I wanted to like it more. The bottle and label are beautiful, far better than most. And of course it’s far above the normal Czech crapsinthe. It’s clearly made with quality ingredients, distilled without a trace of tails etc. but it’s just lacking in anise/wormwood/fennel presence. I hope Martin will try some of our suggestions (no triple distillation, gentler coloration). I think with some tweaking it could be much better. My overall score seems a bit harsh to me, but I can't really justify raising the scores for any of the categories. It's not undrinkable, it's just flawed.

spoon scores St Antoine 51 out of 100

Reviewed by Ricki 5th June 2008

COLOR BEFORE WATER 7/10
Very clear and nice looking amber/olive colour.

LOUCHE ACTION 3/10
I could barely get a louche out of Absinthe St Antoine and i was really trying hard to make it louche. Low points here.

COLOR AFTER WATER 4/10
Slightly cloudy and the colour is a bit lighter than before water. Nothing special.

AROMA 20/30
The aroma is very nice before adding water. Water just dilutes these aromas slightly but doesn't lose them.

MOUTH-FEEL 4/10
Mouth feel is thin but smooth with a slight bite afterwards.

TASTE 9/20
Slightly medicinal in taste. A bit weak though.

OVERALL IMPRESSION 6/10
The best Czech Absinthe out there but not good enough to compete with the French and Swiss variety just yet.

Ricki scores St Antoine 53 out of 100

COLOR BEFORE WATER 9/10
green nice

LOUCHE ACTION 9/10
fast and thick

COLOR AFTER WATER 9/10
thcik greenish louche

AROMA 25/30
very nice no trace of funk

MOUTH-FEEL 8/10
thick bitter but pleasant

TASTE 18/20
very great forest like, complex

OVERALL IMPRESSION 9/10
this absinthe is very nice one of my favorite it give what a bootleg Val-de Travers verte could be and it is very nice .

EdouardPerneau scores Angélique Verte suisse 72% 87 out of 100

COLOR BEFORE WATER 9/10
Lovely, golden, green and natural but slightly dull. No haze or sediment.

LOUCHE ACTION 7/10
Oily swirls and tiny globules intially. Aside from a thin golden meniscus, a heavy, thick louche engulfs the liquid from the bottom up at around 1:1 dilution. This verte is bottled at only 60% alcohol and the oils are released pretty quickly. A fair amount of star anise is at work here as well.

COLOR AFTER WATER 9/10
Thick, golden, milky appearance.

AROMA 23/30
Anise is definitely up front and center. A nice wormwood and herbal mix is lurking back there somewhere but the anise asserts itself a little too aggressively. Still pleasant overall with minimal detectable heat.

MOUTH-FEEL 6/10
Short lived smooth and creamy feel gives way to tongue-numbing and pastiness.

TASTE 15/20
Like the mouthfeel, the taste is promising at first but quickly yields to the star anise/licorice blast. Subtle hints of mint and juniper seem to be hiding in the background.

OVERALL IMPRESSION 8/10
An honest, first effort from a small scale distiller. Sirène Verte is a distilled, naturally colored and easily drinkable absinthe. Scaling back the star anise would likely improve Sirène in the louche, aroma, taste and mouthfeel categories. I usually prepare my absinthe with sugar but this one was far too sweet with sugar added. The review reflects it without sugar. All in all, a decent American-made absinthe. I have no regrets about having purchased a couple bottles.

Lord Stanley scores Sirène Absinthe Verte 77 out of 100

COLOR BEFORE WATER 9/10
Very beautiful clear vibrant golden color with maybe a hint of olive. I poured a small sample of an earlier prototype for comparison, and it was the same color.

LOUCHE ACTION 9/10
Perfect, not too fast, slowly building from the bottom, becoming very thick. Line of clear yellow above the thick louche disappears when fully louched.

COLOR AFTER WATER 9/10
Beautiful opaque creamy color, very delicious looking.

AROMA 30/30
The fragrance is amazing. Smelling it neat, you don’t smell alcohol at all, but a very flowery fragrance. While louching, it becomes room filling and is quite astonishing: perfumy, seductive, delicious. There was no way I could justify deducting even a single point. As I finish up this review the glass has been empty for at least 10 minutes, I’m sniffing the glass and it still smells amazing.

MOUTH-FEEL 8/10
Very nice mouth-feel. Not super tongue-coating but very nice creamy feel.

TASTE 18/20
The taste is quite harmonious, and almost as delicious as the fragrance. I know from what Stefano said (when we met in Paris) that there are a large number of herbs here, and they blend extremely well. I believe that a number of them aren’t found in any other commercial absinthes but there is definitely nothing anyone would find out of place. The herbs are obviously of stellar quality, full of Italian sunshine and bursting with perfumy goodness. On a hot day like today it is very refreshing.

OVERALL IMPRESSION 10/10
I first tasted two early low-volume prototypes last year when we met Stefano in Paris. I was a huge fan of what Stefano was doing with those prototypes, and I’m very happy that he has been able to bring it from that small scale to nearing commercial reality. This one is a home run for me, easily my favorite (soon-to-be) commercial absinthe.

spoon scores L’Italienne (prototype #2) 93 out of 100

Reviewed by Donnie Darko 8/16/2008

COLOR BEFORE WATER 6/10
Copperish yellow with a slight green suggestion.

LOUCHE ACTION 7/10
Super cold water coaxes some beautiful swirly tendrils that gradually form an almost-louche. Anything less than iced water dripped slow from a fountain will not produce as much of a louche.

COLOR AFTER WATER 7/10
An 3/4 opaque flat yellow green.

AROMA 27/30
Neat, the aroma is floral heaven. The feminine perfumes in here before one adds water are found in no other absinthe. Once water is added, the aroma disappointingly stays mostly in the glass and lacks "pop", but what is in there is enticing and entirely unique. It says "drink me" with authority.

MOUTH-FEEL 8/10
Though not a creamy absinthe, it doesn't burn, is smooth, and has a flower petal-like touch on your tongue. Unique and very drinkable.

TASTE 19/20
Fresh honeysuckle, lavender and other edible flowers that escape me. Very feminine, with a seamless fusion of all ingredients into one very pleasant whole. The wormwood in here is unlike other cultivars I have tasted, and I suspect it is the key to the fusion of all other flavors in there. And I have no idea what herb might be causing that honey-suckle taste and aroma, but it's awesome and no other absinthe has it.

OVERALL IMPRESSION 9/10
A delightful feminine drink. Light but sexy. Floral but assertive. The weak points are indifferent color and a lackadaisical louche, but once I taste it I can't bring myself to penalize it too harshly for those shortcomings. I can't help but think a slight boost to the anise and fennel would make this absinthe a blockbuster, but what's there is attention grabbing and balanced with surgical precision. In spite of the lack of creamy "pop", it is distinctive and confident enough to warrant quickly emptying and refilling glasses. It evokes memories of unrequited high school crushes on girls too pretty to notice me, but who I could still steal looks at from across the room and swoon. Maybe all I got from them was their perfume as they walked past, but it was enough to make me happy and empty headed.

Donnie Darko scores L'Italienne 83 out of 100

Photo of prototype courtesy of Hartsmar:

COLOR BEFORE WATER 10/10
Mountain crystal. Very clear.

LOUCHE ACTION 9/10
Nice to look at, but quicker than in a verte variety.

COLOR AFTER WATER 7/10
Opaque with delicate bluish tinge.

AROMA 26/30
Very herbal. Anise at the back and very subtle. Pleasant, but not aggressive. Nuanceful and well-balanced.

MOUTH-FEEL 9/10
Very atypical of blanche. Strong, very strong herbacousness, anethole buddies definitely in the back. Bitterness in the initial attack slowly transforming into badiane bite, still very pleasant, not obtrusive.

TASTE 18/20
Roman chamomile(?) and wormwood play the avantgarde here, IMO, though. The taste has depth and boldness. Very herbal, very decisive.

OVERALL IMPRESSION 10/10
Not another one-dimensional blanche or fennel-wormwood bomb in the style of Swiss les bleues. Absinthe of strong personality with crazy initial taste (I have particularly liked) and mellow, if very bold aftertaste.

absinthist scores Helfrich blanche 89 out of 100

COLOR BEFORE WATER 9/10
Color is a deep peridot green. Quite appealing.

LOUCHE ACTION 8/10
The addition of ice cold water via dripper brought about a quick forming louche. The trails were quite nice. The color after louche is a milky greenish white. Very nice.

COLOR AFTER WATER 7/10
The color after louche is a milky greenish white. Pretty, but maybe just a tad thin.

AROMA 27/30
The aroma is one of the nicest things about this absinthe. Extremely crisp and clean. Lots of floral notes. The lemon balm comes through quite clearly. The basil adds a nice depth as well.

MOUTH-FEEL 7/10
Well rounded feel. I think the choice of anise takes away a bit from the thickness though.

TASTE 16/20
The flavor is extremely spicy. It's going to be a dividing factor I think. Those who enjoy unique flavored absinthes like Montmartre will really like this. Others may think its a bit overpowering, but sugaring will help even it out. There's a nice wormwood bitterness that's enhanced by the nettles and tarragon. It's quite intriguing. Although I don't add sugar to my absinthe, I do believe that this one will highly benefit from it.
The finish is a combination of light sweetness from the basil and just a touch of astringence from the wormwood. It's really a great aftertaste, although I'd like it to last a bit longer.

OVERALL IMPRESSION 9/10
Overall, this is a great start for US absinthes. It's certainly setting the bar high for other US based producers. I think the strength of flavors might drive a small few away, but I think it will garner a lot of attention from those with sophisticated palates. Have another? Yes please!

Shabba53 scores St. George Absinthe 83 out of 100

Reviewed by Spoon 12/31/2007

COLOR BEFORE WATER 8/10
Color is a natural looking, clear, amber/olive.

LOUCHE ACTION 7/10
A thick louche develops very quickly. It was fully opaque at somewhere between (estimated) 0.5 - 1 volumes of water. I penalized it because it was too quick and not as attractive as it could be.

COLOR AFTER WATER 6/10
The color after louche is reminiscent of pond algae. It is rather dull and dirty looking, not at all bright. It sort of makes sense to me, though, because of the organic taste.

AROMA 26/30
The aroma is lovely. Before water, it smells heavily of the unusual coloring herbs, which have a vegetal quality. The alcohol is not at all sharp. After addition of water the smell is very sweet, bright and pleasant. The herbal notes are unfamiliar in an absinthe but very nice.

MOUTH-FEEL 8/10
Surprisingly creamy for something lacking green anise. The texture is very nice.

TASTE 17/20
Overall I would say it is clean, crisp and refreshing. I didn't add sugar, and I tend to not dilute my drink as much as most people. The alcohol has dissipated and is not at all intrusive. The taste is unusual and very different because of the herbs chosen. Up front, I taste something sweet which is really nice, then comes the thick vegetal taste (I know I am using the word vegetal too much but it seems the most appropriate word.), then a little bite of star anise and finally the pleasant bitterness of the wormwood. The star anise is relatively restrained but does eventually somewhat overwhelm the wormwood after the first 1/4 of the drink. Despite this, I love the taste. It's definitely idiosyncratic but it's a good flavor profile for me. One thing that we both noticed last night, and I am finding tonight also is, this stuff cries out to be drunk with food. For starters, it pairs really well with salami and cheese, and I think it will be nice with lots of other food as well.

OVERALL IMPRESSION 9/10
To me, this stuff is very tasty. I'm sure it won't be to everyone's liking, but I think it's damn good. I can't help but wonder how it would taste with a bunch of green anise substituted for the small amount of star anise; it would probably be amazing. But even with the star anise, of which I am not a fan, I am very much looking forward to the next availability, and I will certainly buy at least two bottles. Drink it!

Spoon scores St. George Absinthe 81 out of 100

Reviewed by Donnie Darko 2/11/2008

COLOR BEFORE WATER 7/10
Drab olive, no debris.

LOUCHE ACTION 8/10
Very thick louche, but the "action" part of it consists of a thick white wall gradually rising until the unlouched layer is gone, which happens by 2:1.

COLOR AFTER WATER 8/10
The green becomes brighter once water is added, and is opaque as mud. Holds light fairly well.

AROMA 16/30
Neat, the aroma is oddly reminiscent of moth balls. There is a nutmeg/cinnamon like aroma behind that, not sure what that's from since it contains neither. There are also some candy notes reminiscent of Eichelberger Verte. The upside is the aroma is pretty large, fairly room filling. The downside is the aroma is strangely un-absinthe like.

MOUTH-FEEL 8/10
Creamy smooth at first with a subtle spicy bite underneath, but then all is penetrated by a greasy smear which I assume is due to the overuse of Star Anise.

TASTE 12/20
It tastes overwhelmingly of Star Anise, and the bubble-gum sweetness imparted by it is cloying. Underneath that are some other unorthodox flavors trying to poke through, and a few reminiscent of Ike Verte do poke through. Wormwood is difficult to detect. And there is that weird moth ball thing in the taste for a split second, though thankfully far less prominent than in the aroma. The Brandy alcohol base could also use another rectification, tastes a tad buttery.

OVERALL IMPRESSION 6/10
It's an interesting beverage, tastes so-so on its own right. But the cloying sweetness, the mothball tinge in the neat aroma, and the fact that it contains very few normal Absinthe tastes relegate this Absinthe to the realm of novelty rather than as a daily drinker you look forward to coming home to. The upside is that it is made competently. There are no evident distillation or coloration flaws, and it does smell very clean, with no hint of tails or empyreuma. St. George clearly could make something that might remind more of us of a great Absinthe, they just chose instead to stray very far off the beaten path with this one. It's worth noting that going off the beaten path is what this distillery does, with mixed results. I look forward to trying more of their work if they ever make an Absinthe other than just this one.

This tastes almost more like some bizarre holiday cordial than the gripping alpine refreshment that normal Absinthe is, maybe that's what attracts some people. It is seemingly popular, so maybe Lance is on to something in regards to American tastes. In regards to mine though, no thanks.

Donnie Darko scores St. George Absinthe Verte 65 out of 100

Reviewed by Jaded Prol 2/11/2008

COLOR BEFORE WATER 8/10
Dark green but flat. Definitely natural but a little heavy.

LOUCHE ACTION 7/10
Very thick, rapid and dense to opaque due to overuse of star anise.

COLOR AFTER WATER 8/10
Opaque white with green tint. Though I tried it at 3 to1, the opacity remained even at twice the water.

AROMA 15/30
Neat - sweet, with heavy citrus notes, almost camphory. With water, terribly sweet with a chlorophyll sharpness. The Melissa and Basil seem to overpower.

MOUTH-FEEL 7/10
It is admittedly thick but too thick in a way that coats your mouth and makes your filling rebel.

TASTE 8/20
Very sweet and sharp in an unpleasant in a medicinal way. The Melissa and Basil are overpowering and the later seems misplaced. The lingering flavor is the Basil which leaves me feeling like I ate some pesto. The sweetness of the Badiane and Basil combined with the sharpness of the Melissa are, in my opinion as a cook, an uncomplimentary combination. I could not taste any wormwood. Had the maker left out the basil and instead used that quantity of hyssop along with less Badiane, this might almost be drinkable.

OVERALL IMPRESSION 4/10
As I had stated previously, it saddens me that the first legally produced domestic absinthe of the 21st century had to be such an unpleasant brew, more so because it is my understanding that knowledgeable people like Grim made themselves available to the maker. It takes a skilled distiller and good ingredients to make a good classical absinthe and I believe this maker is a talented distiller, But to makes something original or eclectic that works, it takes a good cook with knowledge of what good absinthe is, what's been done, knowledge of herbal properties and the patience and humility to listen to those more experienced. That apparently is the missing ingredient here.

Jaded Prol scores St. George Absinthe Verte 57 out of 100

Reviewed by OCvertDe 3/20/2008

COLOR BEFORE WATER 6/10
Clear and bright, amber/gold. This would be acceptable in a vintage absinthe, but I’m not crazy about there being no green to speak of in one so young.

LOUCHE ACTION 8/10
This is one of the better louching absinthes I’ve had. Oil trails quickly give way to a small wispy cloud that starts in the center of the bottom of the glass, and gradually builds into a fantastic louche with timing you could set a clock by. It happens a little fast even on a slow drip, otherwise I would give it a perfect score.

COLOR AFTER WATER 6/10
I’m no crazier about the color after the water. There’s nice shading and layering of color, but it’s pretty much yellow and just doesn’t look right.

AROMA 24/30
Very strong, herbal and complex. I’m pretty sure most of what I’m smelling is the unique ingredients Lance decided to use, not the herbal essences you would expect to find in absinthe. Not as well balanced as the better Swiss or Pontarliers, but again, I suspect the odd recipe.

MOUTH-FEEL 9/10
Surprisingly smooth for one with such a turbulent aroma. Lightly creamy with a nice bite that is exceptionally well balanced and pleasant.

TASTE 15/20
Wow, this one really pops. Herbal and complex, without being overly medicinal. The taste is crisp and clean, with a nice long finish that makes me want another sip. Very unique and unusual, but it still tastes like absinthe to me and I like it. The second batch is allegedly better, and I can’t wait to try it.

OVERALL IMPRESSION 7/10
I really enjoyed this. I feel it’s well crafted in spite of its faults; and while the flavor is a ways out in left field, I’m still impressed with the first American commercial absinthe. If I’m able when the next batch is finished, I will definitely be getting myself a bottle. I’m sure it isn’t for everyone; the more traditional your tastes are, the less likely you are to like it. As for the imbibing of it though, I for one have no complaints.

PERSONAL NOTES
Based on one 30ml sample mixed 3:1

OCvertDe scores St. George Absinthe (first batch) 75 out of 100