Grande Absente Absinthe

Appearance: (Neat) Bright green, clearly artificially colored. (Diluted) Pale pearly jade-green with moderate cloudiness. It lacks the depth and interesting qualities of some absinthes, and the initial louche is slow to start and never becomes very dense. Aroma: Less interesting compared to superior absinthes. Aromas don't bloom from the glass as water is added, and you need to bring it close to your nose to detect anything. When you do, the aroma is mainly anise and fennel. There are some grassy, woody aromas and a sweet background scent, but it's not complex. Flavor and Texture: A soft and sweet entry, even without sugar. It has notes of liquorice and herbs and is slightly numbing. There's a bitter undertone (especially at less than 1:5 dilution) and the texture is pleasant, though waxy and a little thin. It doesn't have the rich, creamy mouthfeel of good absinthes. The finish is rather short, and overall the palate is simple. Grande Absente is frequently criticized for not being a true absinthe or for lacking Artemisia absinthium or green anise, but this is incorrect. It contains those ingredients but isn't made in the "traditional" way. It also includes star anise and sugar, which are common in pastis but never used in absinthe. Furthermore, it's not solely made from oils, as some critics claim, nor is it a single distillation product. It's produced through a hybrid method combining distillations, macerations, and sourced oils and extracts. Therefore, it's best considered a spirit that falls between absinthe and pastis. However, the color is entirely artificial. Tartrazine (E102) and Brilliant Blue FCF (E133) are used to achieve the vivid green shade. It's unfortunate that the producers use these additives as a shortcut instead of naturally coloring the spirit with chlorophyll. This isn't a great "absinthe," but it's not terrible either. It would be acceptable for cocktails or a sazerac rinse in place of the real thing, but as a straight, louched drink, it's quite simple and dull. It doesn't deserve the excessive criticism it gets based on false information, but it's also not worth seeking out. The producer, Distilleries et Domains de Province, is a well-established and respected maker of liqueurs and pastis. They produce Henri Bardouin pastis, which is highly regarded, and the delicious RinQuinQuin peach aperitif. At its price point, it's not competitive, and I wouldn't recommend buying it. Pernod absinthe is sold for $30 less in Australia and is a significantly better product. If you're just mildly curious and want to sample absinthe affordably, that's the one to choose. "Adequate": 73/100 (2.25 stars)

Grande Absente is bottled at a rather high 69% alcohol. However, this is balanced in two ways. The absinthe is sweeter than many, and it also contains more of the absinthe herb (bittering). Straight from the bottle, the aroma is immediately black licorice and anise. The taste is sweet, as noted, but still quite intense without dilution. Adding some water (no sugar needed) reduces the intensity, leaving a flavor very similar to black licorice.

A complex and balanced herbal aperitif or cordial from Provence, France, featuring a prominent anise flavor. Distilleries Et Domaines De Provence honors the spirit's heritage by crafting their Absinthe using a pre-ban recipe that includes wormwood, maintaining a traditional 69% ABV. Sampled in November 2015, April 2016, March, and September 2017.

Excessively sweet, reminiscent of water infused with fennel seeds.