I now have the chance to be sitting in front of two very interesting tiny absinthe bottles.

There's no label but I believe the blanche is a 1 1/2 months old "Swizzle" and the verte is a 5 months old "Pignon et l'Epée'' .

Just by the smell of it I can tell this tasting will require a public review to do justice to its mysterious crafter.

Sorry, no picture.

Both glass where watered with a bit of sugar and approximately 4 parts very cold spring water and no ice cubes.

First, the blanche :

This is a delicate and pure absinthe crafted around the Florence Fennel aroma. Here we have that herb at the forefront, wrapped in a well dosed and balanced robe of wine spirit. Beautiful in all its simplicity, it is a winner thanks to the high quality of a few ingredients and outstanding skill. On a hot summer day, I`m sure most people here could down a bottle as it goes down dangerously easily.

Now, let`s try the green...

Here I am smelling the empty measuring shot glass and trying to figure out what is this herb... There`s an ingredient in it that reminds me of something I smell when visiting my local herborist but I can`t put my finger on it.

Once again, the wine spirit is very prominent, even more so than with the blanche. beside this mysterious ingredient, there`s a minty note, once again a good dose of fennel and a delicate amount of anis. This one is more complex than the Swizzle. The smell is sweet, floral with something remining me of incense and baby powder.

Let`s taste it now. It is definitly minty and very good. The wine spirit taste, even if it`s good, is a bit obstrusive and I believe it's hiding the potential delicate complexity of the herbs. In my humble opinion, using a bit less wine spirit and mixing it with some high quality neutral grain spirit would improve the final result. Note that I`m reviewing an exceptional product so I`m very picky to the details. I know that the mysterious crafter plans to continue his work on improving this recipe, I sure see the potential in it and I have no doubt this will one day become a masterpiece. There`s some very interesting things I can smell in the empty measuring glass but I can`t taste it in the watered absinthe.

That being said, it is an excellent green absinthe and I`m a lucky bastard to have the chance to have a taste of it. I just think I`ll smell the Pignon while drinking the Swizzle ;-).


Thanks again crafty boy !

I am down to just a few glasses of Swizzlé Rouge and admit, it has been DAMNED difficult to stop with one glass every time I drank it. This is the easiest drinking absinthe I have ever tasted, and finishing the glass makes me want another!

The only other absinthe that made me feel that way was Moonie's LDL#24/25. I know, conveniently located beneath Wolfgang's post, but it's true. However, the LDL didn't go down near as smoothly, which was good/bad depending on my mood at the time of drinking them.

Overall, those are my top-2 absinthes! They are both awesome. I think it has more to do with the creamy-base and smooth taste than anything else, but even then they have a mixture that I like (as I am sure the base was the same in the MM#26 and vice-versa other tastey product I tried from the Swizzlé-maker).

The Pigeon Pee I haven't tried since LF03, and am looking forward to trying it again at LCLF:)

I may have to order a bottle of SR .... sounds too delish not to try....

DG

It rocks, but keep it out of the light.

.....And whatever you do, no matter how much it whines, no matter how much it begs and pleads, never, NEVER feed it after midnight!

I guess it requires a minimum quantity of absinthe in someones blood to notice but I just noticed Baldz's avatar ! Very Loucheloungy,

Inspired by the nice absinthes I just had, I proceeded to make a tasting comparaison between the aged LDL1 and the new LDL2 (any excuse are good to have another glass).

No I won't elaborate about the LDL, I really don't feel like getting hamered by the Lounge thugs and my point is just to explain why I'm rolling on the floor laughing at this ass licking cow !


I've been drinking scotch and gin for too long, I almost forgot about the pleasure of drinking 4 absinthes !

Go ahead and elaborate, just don’t make a career out of it. Tasting notes, especially in this kind of context aren’t the problem, constant pimping is. The lounge is a shill free zone, but discussing absinthe is a small part of what we do here.

King Thug

What he said.

Queen Thug

Oh god, did I LOL on that one.

Funny xit Balz™

Wasn't that the same problem from the movie "Gremlins?"

DG

Took ya a second, huh?

yes, you fucking retard, as was ".....And whatever you do, no matter how much it whines, no matter how much it begs and pleads, never, NEVER feed it after midnight!"

My aren't we testy this morning ... what happened? Someone not feed you after midnight?

DG

punctuation, my friend, punctuation.


dammit, fucker edited it.


well, as you can tell by my heft....it looks like nobody's ever forgotten to feed me...

I know ... I know ... look, it's still early here. Give the kid a break.

DG

I had some 6-7 month old Pignon last night. Ageing really rounds it out. The oakiness subsides, and you're left with a refreshing very well balanced absinthe. That spicy clean minty undertone comes from an ingredient I normally hate when it is used in food, but it works surprisingly well in an absinthe (when used in small quantities). I don't have any problem with the wine spirit base, it gives it a distinct character which is part of the Pignon flavour. The only criticism I have of the Pignon is that the incarnation I have could benefit from better Florence Fennel, but the maker already took care of that a few months ago.

Good shtuff.

Wolfie - try the Swizzle with slightly more of a sugar ratio (but not too much) - it will bring out some of the more subtle flavours.

I forgot about that flavor-lifting aspect of the sugar addition...

I've been drinking it unsugared, I'll have to use a dose, and try it side by side, with the unsugared.

Nothin' like that two fisted drinkin', eh Jack? I just have to remember to watch out for the spillstains!

I recently had the pleasure of drinking some original Pignon, the old stuff now almost disavowed by its maker... Great trip down memory lane. Bad fennel, camphor taste... yum. New Pignon soon...

And you loved it...you Anise Bitch!

Now, as one of the few who tried it at G&C's the other night... I thought the flavor profile came from the long fennel. Am I wrong?

Somewhat. 25% Flo Fennel, if I remember.

I've got a demi-bottle of the Rouge that was sent to me for LCLF.

People sure seem to love you, Jack, you lucky bastid!

It must be because of my Enormus Cock.

???

Is it bigger than the Mayor's?

I'm actually enjoying a glass of half and half, Pignon and swizzle, at the moment...the two seem to compliment each other quite nicely.

I've said it befor I'll say it again, I can't wait for LCLF.

I just hope I don't get too crazy and end up spilling on ABS.

That's fine... just try not to end up spilling on SPAZ-ASS.

God only knows what SPAZ-ASS will find to spill on. He sure is looking.

I KNOW that was more information than I needed there, Justin.

"New Pignon soon..."

I can't wait!!!...but I guess I'll have to.

I haven't received any "new" Pignon...just the Lyonnaise. I'm not sure if there will be any "new" Pignon at LCLF. Shipping time is running out.

Have fun. Be safe.

Have a lousy time, be reckless, die, SPAZ-ASS.

That's what I like about the Mayor, he flies through the forum like a bright little ray of sunshine.

Oh wait, strike that and make it an RPG.

If "a big wet one" means bashing you
repeatedly in the head w/a piece of
concrete block until your head looks like
a used Maxi Pad, then OK.

So young. So angry... Damn that rap music!

Um, no.
Foxtrot.

You can't say "foxtrot," without saying xtrot.

DG

Shtrot?

I don't know ... I still haven't had any coffee today. Probably too late for it, so looks like I'll be breaking out the Felix.

DG

I'm having coffee.
And Swizzle.
Eye Openers.

Is there enough difference in the eye-opener to merit using Swizzle, as opposed to something commercial? Or do you just have so much HG that you might as well, on account of your the Mayor?

I have so fuckin' little absinthe, period,
it's all I have.
But, the 2ndfaries get extree big rockets
up their asses w/HG.