Grande Absente Absinthe

A complex harmonious herbal apéritif / cordial from Provence, France with an intense anise flavor, taking care to respect the legacy of the spirit, Distilleries Et Domaines De Provence create their Absinthe using a recipe that was devised prior to the spirit's ban, including wormwood.at a traditionally 69% ABV. November 2015 / April 2016 / March / September 2017

Grande Absente is bottled at 69% abv which is getting pretty high on the alcohol content. But, this is also balanced in two ways. The absinthe is sweeter than many, and it also contains more absinthe (bittering). Out of the bottle, the nose is immediately of black licorice and anise. The flavor is sweet, as mentioned, but still pretty intense undiluted. Adding some water (no sugar cube needed), tones down the heat, leaving a flavor very much like black licorice.

My first experience with “the green fairy.” I was experiencing an anise overdose, but if prepared in the traditional method with a sugar cube and ice water, it’s decidedly more complex than that. I’m not saying it’s my favorite spirit or anything. I’d rather drink a Manhattan made with the crappiest of the bottom-shelf bourbons. But it has piqued my interest in the spirit, and I look forward to trying other varieties of absinthe. The lengthy ban on this spirit was utterly ridiculous. It’s just booze, people!

Too sweet... tastes like pure fennel seeds water

Appearance: (Neat) Bright green, obviously artificially coloured. (Diluted) Pale pearly jade-green with moderate cloudiness. It does not have the depth and interesting facets of some absinthes but it does not look artificial once louched, however the louche is slow to begin and never achieves great density. Aroma: Less interesting in comparison to the better absinthes. You don’t notice aromas blooming from the glass as water is added, and you have to nose it up close to get anything. When you do the nose is mainly anise and fennel. There are some grassy, woody aromas and a sweet smell in the background but it’s not a complex nose. Flavour and Texture: Soft and sweet entry, even with no sugar. Liquorice and herbal notes and it is slightly numbing. There is a bitter background (particularly at less than 1:5 dilution) and the texture is agreeable, but more waxy than usual and a little thin. It does not have the lush creamy mouthfeel of good absinthes. The finish is on the short side and overall it's a simple palate. Grande Absente is often criticized for not being a real absinthe and not containing Artemisia absinthium or green anise, but that is not true. It does contain those ingredients but it is not produced in the “traditional” manner, and it also contains star anise and sugar which are standard in pastis but never used in absinthe. It is also not just compounded from oils as some critics say, but neither is it a single distillation product. It is made using a hybrid process where distillations, macerations, sourced oils and extracts are blended together. Consequently this is best thought of as a spirit that sits midway between absinthe and pastis. The colour, however, is absolutely artificial. Tartrazine (E102) and Brilliant Blue FCF (E133) are used to make the lurid green shade. It’s a pity the producers use these additives as a short cut instead colouring the spirit naturally with chlorophyll. This is not a great “absinthe” but neither is it terrible. It would be acceptable for cocktails or a sazerac rinse instead of the real thing but as a straight-up louched drink it is pretty simple and dull. It does not deserve the exaggerated criticism it receives based on incorrect information, but neither is it something worth seeking out. The producer, Distilleries et Domains de Province, is a long established and respected producer of liqueurs and pastis. They produce Henri Bardouin pastis, which is one of the most highly regarded brands, and the delicious RinQuinQuin peach aperitif. At the price it is not competitive and I would not recommend purchasing it. Pernod absinthe sells for $30 less in Australia and is a much better product. If you are just mildly curious and want to dip your toes in the sea of absinthe at reasonable cost, that's the one to choose. “Adequate” : 73/100 (2.25 stars)