Absintheur: Sam Tonelli, 07.01.2010
Evaluation:
Review:
This is the first Absinthe I've ever tried, so I'm likely to be somewhat subjective, here but I thought I'd pass along my thoughts.
To begin, the one liquor I've always wanted to try was Absinthe, I was 18 in 2005 when it became legal again, and I fell in love with the mystique. So I waited, biding my time for three years until I turned 21 and could legally buy it. During the final three months of waiting, I began to read reviews of various types of Absinthe, I felt that if i were to try something unique, I may as well try for as realistic an experience as possible. here in the 'States, it seemed that most on the market were either highly sugared, or just anise flavored vodka, and far from the true absinthe experience I sought. Reviews and high ratings pointed me toward Suisse Verte Clandestine. two weeks post order, it arrived.
First blush:
The bottle and label are classy without being pretentious, with a cool rubber seal stamped over the cork, and a deep mysterious green bottle.
After opening the bottle, and allowing it to breathe, I got a strong whiff of anise, with some minty undertones. The smell does carry, and soon filled my kitchen.
In color, the liquid is a grassy green, perfectly translucent and clear.
I used a single sugar cube, and the traditional French method of preparation, but had trouble dripping the cold water, I just couldn't find a vessel with the right spout to sustain a slow drip, and ended up using an old syringe for brining meats (thoroughly cleaned and sanitized, mind you).
The louche was a great show to watch, the liquid changing right before my eyes.
I used three measures of water to one of Absinthe, and I felt it could decompress a little more, the anise hogging the spotlight. I'm hoping that with the bottle being opened, some of the anise will mellow out, but time will tell. I did get a bit of fruitiness from the coriander in the background. When I bought this, I feared the wormwood would be very strong, like hops in ale, but it was more of a tongue-numbing bass note to the whole experience. Definitely a slow drink to enjoy, the flavors linger on the tongue for a very long time.
It's naturally sweet just from the herbs, and one sugar cube was very nearly too much. Another thing I loved was how I didn't taste the burn of the alcohol, I could detect it, and it carried the flavors into my nose, but it didn't feel like I was slurping down a small glass of fire, just a cool, refreshing beverage.
The texture was incredible, I've never had a drink that had a real mouthfeel to it, but this Absinthe was creamy and thick, and not syrupy. it went down smooth, and didn't leave my mouth feeling gummy afterwards, but had enough feel to it that I could really play with it, and enjoy it.
Overall, I would easily recommend this drink to anyone, I'm glad I chose it as my first encounter with the green fairy, and it may just as easily become my standby. it opened my eyes to the wide world of Absinthe, and I'm ready to try others as time progresses.
Absintheur: Guest, 28.09.2009
Evaluation:
Review:
Really enjoyed this Absinthe. It has a perfect louche, taste and last but not least the bottle/labels look awesome in my bar! I usually drink La Bleue Clandestine - until now - Suisse Verte got my new favorite.
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