Appearance: (Neat) Bright, clear chartreuse. (Diluted) The louche starts to form at about 1:1 with the oil swirls suddenly turning milky. It is solid by 1:3 with white, yellow and green opalescent highlights finally merging into a slightly greenish cream. Opacity is lost past 1:6. Aroma: A clean, fresh nose with green anise and wormwood being the main aromas set against a pleasant grassy, herbal background. A light trace of citrus from lemon balm is noticeable. Flavour and Texture: An agreeable balance between wormwood and anise, with a little fennel and a cooling touch of mint and lime leaf. The finish is fresh, woody, gently tannic and has a satisfying bitterness. The texture is good. When it was first introduced in 2002 Pernod absinthe was (like all the first generation of modern post-ban absinthes) a poor quality, artificially coloured product created by compounding oils in neutral spirit. However, this version, introduced in 2013, is considerably better and definitely the “real stuff”. It is now produced on a base of grape marc that is distilled with botanicals according to the Pernod Fils recipe from the late 1800s and is naturally coloured with macerated nettles and petit wormwood. This is a good absinthe, well balanced but veering towards a dry profile and I definitely prefer to louche it with a sugar cube. It’s reasonably priced and widely available. Although it does not approach the complexity of any of the Jade range it is still very pleasant in its own right, and it is worth keeping on hand for cocktail use. “Good” : 84/100 (3.75 stars)