Sauvage

Appearance: The greenish yellow hue of first press extra virgin olive oil. The aging has obviously taken out some of the fresh peridot colors, but it still looks attractive.

Louche: I didn't get the clear line mentioned in the other review, but I believe I louche with a bit more turbulence based on the distance between fountain and glass. A nice even build ending up in a somewhat thin yet still attractive louche with whites and several shades of yellow. Thicker than the previous experiment, Roquette.

Aroma: room filling scent of herbal, minty wormwood. It retains the normal scent of what many would describe as the characteristic 'Pontarlier wormwood' aroma, but there's also a bit of teas leaf aroma that denotes the wild character of this wormwood. Slight scent of anise as well. Very enticing.

Flavor: Like another recent Emile Pernot release (Berthe de Joux), the flavor is bold and herbal with huge wormwood notes that are nicely complimented by the sweet anise. The aging has married the individual herbs' flavors beautifully.

Finish: The wormwood exerts more force here, but in a minty, not bitter way. Pleasant warming. Hints of anise, fennel, and white pepper.

Overall: Yet another intriguing antique absinthe recipe from David Nathan-Maister with the wild wormwood twist. This is an absinthe that is for the experienced absintheur, as it is quite complex and bold. Simply wonderful. I'm glad I ordered multiple bottles, as this will go quickly.