est. 2007

Mansinthe Absinthe Review (No, not a certain bodily fluid...):

-66.6% abv (heh), .7 litre

-Country of Origin: Switzerland

-Gold Medal WInner at the 2008 SF World Spirits Competition

-TARN recommends buying from Drink UP NY

**A NOTE ON US APPROVAL:  Mr. Lion has given the official word that the formula for Mansinthe has not been altered in any way for the US.  Therefore, this review applies to both the overseas and domestically available Mansinthe.**

**Fun Little Pre-Review Story!: Months and months I’ve been getting e-mails asking when in the hell we were finally going to review Mansinthe.  Well, here’s the story.  When the package arrived on my 3x3 foot piss-poor excuse for a porch some months ago, I could hardly believe it.  I was holding a bottle of Mansinthe.  No, this can’t be real, I thought.  Any moment I’m going to wake up on the bathroom floor of a stranger’s house like always, I told myself.  But the cold tile floor never came...this was actually happening.  Enraptured in sheer giddiness, I ended-up drinking the entire bottle in 6 minutes flat, and unfortunately couldn’t afford another until a few weeks ago, which should explain the delay perfectly.  Cheers!**

Long considered vapourware, Marilyn Manson showed-up unbelievers last year by finally unveiling and releasing Mansinthe, a genuine absinthe produced by the renowned Markus Lion and the Matter-Luginbühl AG distillery.  In retrospect, while Mansinthe and his new album went on a sale only a few weeks apart, Manson really should've held off on his "Eat Me, Drink Me" album.  If the release of Mansinthe would've coincided with the release of the new record, he could've have people take him literally.  Look for Manson Anise Biscuits and Manson Fruit Snacks to debut next summer alongside his next album “On Second Thought, Just Eat Me”.  So, was it worth the eternal wait?  If nothing else, it is the first celeb/novelty/gimmicky absinthe that, by jove, is,-is actually GOOD. 

The former La Fee guzzling absintheur decided to go with his “When I get Old” painting for the label, showing him looking, well…old as hell, whilst clinging to a glass of absinthe, probably the last before he keels over at the age of 57.  Upon uncorking, I discover a bright emerald colour, lacking just slightly, but satisfactory.

It has a spicy nose of coriander and hyssop with a fair smidgen of heat,…man heat. Oh yes, very masculine, to be sure.  I’d expect nothing less from an absinthe called Mansinthe.  The louche builds slowly and smoothly, even if it is not quite as thick as the slow transition suggests.  That's really too bad, because I was really looking forward to some nice, thick, milky white Mansinthe with a creamy consistency to enter my mouth. Even so, I suppose it is more than acceptable, and the bright emerald became more of a gray-green once the louche had concluded. The aroma remains largely unchanged but really becomes intensified.

Coriander takes the title of the dominant role with hyssop and pontica in good measure.  A little more anise presence could have balanced things out a little better, in my opinion.  As it stands, it is very subdued.  Overall, it is a somewhat spicy, sweet and straightforward drink with some great earthiness.  But what it lacks in complexity it makes up for with intensity; this is really quite a full flavoured, assertive drink!  It is rounded out with a long, soft, sweet fennel finish and some short-lived numbness from the anise. Very pleasant!  The presence of alcohol at the 3:1 dilution is just noticeable, making for a warm, sensual ride down the deep throat express.  Just do yourself a favour and refrain from adding sugar, as I found it a bit too straightforward when added.  But the bottom line here is that there’s no denying the tastiness of Mansinthe.  I mean, really, how could you after Manson poured his very soul (and perhaps something else) into this creation?

Granted newcomers can put up with the grin-inducing name and gimmicky 66.6% alcohol content, the accessible flavour profile, lower anise content, and modest price make it an attractive choice.  Absinthe virgins, add a bottle to your first order post-haste. 

Anyway, I'm off to take a shower.  I'm feeling pretty filthy from dropping a record number of innuendos. 

Other notes:  I enjoyed this absinthe best at a 3-3.25:1 dilution with no sugar.  Please note also that aging is Mansinthe's friend; I bought my bottle the first week it was available and initially thought it was a little bland.  And here I was going on and on in the TARN forums about how I thought Mansinthe was rather mediocre!  What a difference a few months can make!  Another side note: there was so much potential sleaze (I cut about 80%), it took me literally 3 days to edit everything, which is about quadruple the time it normally takes.

Presentation: 8.0

Louche: 7.75

Value: 8.0

Taste: 7.75

Overall: 7.75

Published 4/30/08