est. 2007

Blanche de Fougerolles Absinthe Review

-74% abv (148 proof), .7 litre (.2 litre shown)

-Country of Origin: France

-Grape-Alcohol Base

There are several wine-based absinthes that I wholeheartedly enjoy, but sadly, this is not one of them.  In fact, its base is this absinthe’s biggest downfall.   So, just how far down the hill will BdF tumble?

Hyssop, which I’ve always believed is most welcome in a wine based-absinthe, is in good measure in the aroma along with fennel.  What is not welcome, however, is the looming shadow that is the undercurrent of a bad funk.  The “body odour” scent that is found in some (er, most) grape-alcohol based absinthes just seems especially heinous here.  I find myself sniffing constantly, sometimes not getting too bad of a sensation, other times physically recoiling at the aroma. If you’re not strictly astute in taking the time to appreciate the aroma before drinking, there’s a chance you may not catch it.  I’ve heard from more than a few that have missed the stench entirely.  But oh, dear…once you spot it, it’s a road mostly downhill for the remainder of the glass.

The louche is loose, dusty, and unimpressively weak.  One of the poorest middle-shelf louches I’ve ever seen.  The louche is very, very slow to begin and is just as reluctant to come to an end.  It is lacking in opacity.

Thankfully, the aroma does not strongly reflect the actual taste, though it remains off-putting enough.  Post-louche, the odour subsides a bit, but the alcohol is still sharp as a tack.  The mouth feel is better than the embarrassingly thin louche as it rolls nicely with a slight prickle, creamier toward the finish.  It is nearly free of any numbing sensation, somewhat palate neutralizing and modestly dry.  A second glass with sugar improves things minimally, but a mental picture of being faceplanted into a pro wrestler’s armpit is already burned into my memory as I sip. Even being heat-driven it seems to have more of a mild, delicate taste, though not so flowery.  A little sweeter than the average blanche.  Whatever your feelings on it, it takes a bit of getting used to.

Tasting a third glass at a 3:1 dilution, I’m getting a wallop of bland, odoury nothingness with a sudden finish of fennel and some coriander. Hyssop is certainly present, but is much duller than the aroma would suggest as the overall flavour fades as quickly as it came.

I’m a bit torn here because there were times halfway through a glass when I’d think this stuff wasn’t half-bad.  I was learning to tolerate it, and becoming accustomed to the funkiness, but even then I could not deny that it’s a bittersweet tolerance and that there are a lot of absintheurs not as forgiving as I that will easily dismiss it altogether.

For those that think they may appreciate the taste of liquid BO, the door to Kurt Angle’s office-and his underarms-are always open.  Unlike BdF, that won’t cost you anything but a few broken bones, so scribble it down in your pleather-bound weekly planner as a plausible alternative.  

Other notes:  I enjoyed this absinthe best with 2.5 parts water with no sugar.  This also marks the first time I’ve put more detail into the aroma than the taste.  What am I?  The Fee Verte review process?

Presentation: 7.25

Louche:  4.75

Taste: 5.75

Value: 5.75

 Overall:  5.25

Published 8/12/2008