Doubs Mystique "Carte d'or" Absinthe Review:

  Closer Label:

-65% abv, .5 litre

-Country of Origin: France

-Winner of Gold Medal and Best in Class at the 2008 International Wine and Spirits Competition

When Doubs Mystique “Carte d’or” debuted last year alongside 1797 Roquette, it was showered with praise.  Mystique was a new version formulated from scratch, and certainly deserved credit for the improvements.  There’s no denying that DM is one of a kind, and truly a modern style of absinthe.  But is Doubs Mystique worthy to be a household name, or merely a flash in the pan?

Pouring brings forth a brilliant, arousing shade of light green that catches the eye (please ignore the rusty tint in the photo)-absolutely the ideal shade, perfect.  It louches in dusty waves that are more suggested, but is still more than serviceable.  Post louche the colour is more vibrant than ever, but is not as thick as it could be.

The aroma is mainly wormwood, anise, and mint.  Minimal heat, excellent harmony, with a slight sweetness.  If I had to judge Mystique from the aroma alone, it would be a shining 9.5/10 rating-exceptional.  It showcases both complexity and refinement.

The wormwood is not overpowering, but is more immediately notable than the average absinthe.   Anise and fennel make appearances, blending seamlessly with their neighbouring herbs, with melissa rounding out the herb bill.  Paired wisps of mint and rosemary in the background are a unique touch.  Another hint of citrus on the tail end makes for one hell of a clean, refreshing conclusion!  Mystique maintains a lusciously smooth, mouth coating quality throughout.  I could hardly set my glass down-had I not been busy taking tasting notes, I’d be unconscious from guzzling this stuff.  Exceptional at its core, it just falls a touch short delivering the richness of other top-tier absinthe; Doubs Mystique is clean and flavourful, it just doesn’t taste 101% full, which is absolutely the only complaint I have.  The recipe itself is flawless. 

I added sugar and thought it flattened the aroma somewhat, intensifying the mint and anise, but leaving some of the wormwood behind.  Still great, but best without sugar.

Doubs Mystique is a modern absinthe for the ages.  Add it to your liquor store shopping list!

Other Notes: I enjoyed this absinthe best at a 3.5:1 ratio without sugar; give this one some time to show its best!  Somehow, in the midst of DM’s greatness, I couldn’t muster much in the line of sarcastic remarks this time around; I’ll have to review another dud soon to get my groove back.  Oh wait, I did .

Presentation: 9.1

Louche:  6.4

Taste: 8.7

Value:  7.9

Overall:  8.7/10

Published 1/30/09