est. 2007
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Impressions: Giving you an idea of the initial sip. Brief tasting notes or impressions from small samples that weren't enough for a full review.
Montana Absenta Impressions:
-55% abv, 40 ml sample -Country of Origin: Spain
When I got this little sucker I noticed the cap was dented. Not thinking much of it, I opened it up to give it a whiff, put it away until next week’s tasting without much thought. What I didn’t count on was the minute leak, and the fact that it was tipped on its side. So I didn’t have much absinthe to taste, but frankly- I didn’t need much to gather an opinion. Heavily sweet, lemony nose. Very quick louche that concludes with a yellowish tint. A mundane, chemical taste with hazy lemon and anise that is lost in the alcohol. Yucko. The strongly alcoholic flavour reminds a little of Huguet, but this is even worse. Awful.
Overall Impression Score: 2.0
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St. George Absinthe Verte Impressions:
-60% abv, .75 litre -The first US-distilled absinthe!
Our good friend Jason was able to procure a bottle when we were unsuccessful. This stuff is still very hard to come by, but hopefully this will serve as a primer of what to expect when it finally makes it into neighbouring states: By Jason
St. George is different from any other absinthe I have tried,
and because of this I believe this absinthe may not set well
with many long time absinthe drinkers who are used to their more
traditional absinthes (Editor's Note: when the list of herbs
used was revealed, many absintheurs frowned upon the rather
unconventional herbs and the fact that it lacked green anise.
This omission leads some to claim it is not true absinthe.). Upon opening, the
aroma itself is very different. It is heavily floral, with a
background of light, fruity notes from the many types of herbs
used. The color is a beautiful yellowish green. Dripping
cold water, the louche starts to form a little fast, but still a
nice thick louche. The aroma really starts to fill the room with
that floral aroma. The louche comes to form a milky greenish
color, in my opinion very nice. It has a great mouth feel to it,
and the taste is just nothing like I've ever had, which should
appeal to people who may like something different from their
absinthe once in a while. It's very smooth going down, and I
would say people who enjoy Montmartre would probably enjoy St.
George because of the grassy notes that you can taste. Overall,
I like it because it's different. I believe there will be mixed
feelings, half will love it and half will hate it, but it's
definitely worth picking up to try at least once. I will buy
this one regularly once the hype dies down and it's more widely
available. Before water:
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Versinthe la Blanche Absinthe Preview:
57% abv (114 proof), .5 litre Country of Origin: France Numerous Awards from Metz, IWSC, among others
Thanks to my good friend Christopher for the sample! I've had a few bottles in my time, so this was a good refresher for me. This was actually my first blanche as far as I can recall; also my first repeat purchase! Versinthe la Blanche has earned numerous awards for its time and while the competition then isn't nearly what it is today, it is still rightfully deserving of that praise. It hasn't aged spectacularly, but it fares much better than other blanches from yester year, such as the sub-par Un Emile Blanche... I must say, they really nailed a genuinely modern design without being radioactive green or otherwise gimmicky with their simple, sleek bottle design. Upon uncorking (dense rubber cork), drifting out of the bottle are the scents of star anise, peppermint, and light alcohol, with a floral note that is soft but clean. Post-louche, the aroma is slightly stronger as star anise overtakes sweet mint. The louche itself is quick thanks to the (un)healthy dose of of star anise, but is smooth and results in a nice bright white colour. Not terribly thick, but maintains good opacity, even at excess dilutions. The fennel, coriander, star anise, and mint are blended well and other herbs are mildly notable with a light citrus tone, which also contributes to a smooth, clean sip. Mouth feel is sticky and creamy from the sugar, and heavy numbing doesn't leave room for much of an aftertaste. You may find yourself taking breaks between sips to let your taste buds recover! I enjoyed it best diluted at a 4:1 ratio. It still maintains a full flavour and by this point the alcohol is completely subdued. Versinthe la Blanche is technically a liqueur with the small amount of added sugar, so it has a good deal of sweetness. Tossing in a bit of additional sugar gives it a simpler flavour, but alters it in a way that surprisingly the mint comes through more than even the anise, and a slight vanilla taste emerges. A little more mint than I would have liked, but overall I rather enjoyed the solid taste and moderate complexity. Drinking 1:1 on the rocks isn't half bad, either. While superior brands have since surpassed VlB, the small nuances of individuality make this one unique enough in both style and substance to justify a purchase. Give it a try. Overall Impression Score: 6.75
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Stromu Preview: If window cleaner were made into a drink...
-70% abv, from Czech Republic, .5 litre
I know I don't have any reviews of Czech garbage as of yet, but rest assured in due time I will see to it to give a few brands a proper thrashing. For the time being, I'll share with you my account of my brief taste of Stromu Absinth. People don't compare this stuff to mouthwash for nothin'! I had the "privilege" of finishing off the remains of the bottle at a small party the other day and from my single serving I'll share what I can recall. Anyway, as I was saying, it quite literally looks like Scope, and has almost no scent except for a slight sweet spearmint nose...but really mostly just alcohol. Louche is almost non-existent, but did have a few swirls and a slight translucency to it; a sort of haziness, but overall extremely poor. If a spearmint candy was liquefied and watered down, this would be it. 100% artificial everything, but it is sweet enough and drinks smoothly that I can (barely) swallow it. Hm,...ah, I was going to say more but I really have nothing else to say. Maybe I'll move this to reviews after all, as a full review wouldn't be much longer. A photo comparison to Scope would be fun...
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