Absinthe Esmeralda is a Swiss Verte (which is fairly rare as most Swiss distillers focus on creating delicious Blanches) by Philippe Martin, and their first Verte at all! A lovely bottle with an artistic label promises a lot. Absinthe expert Marc Thuillier has tasted this absinthe – let’s see what he thinks!

Color: it’s almost a blanche considering the very pale and light coloration.

Aroma before water: floral, springy and even slightly spicy.

Louche: it starts after a little while because of the high alcohol content (72%). Finally the little clouds start to form. And suddenly BAM! The transformation is instant and the drink immediately opaque and milky.

Aroma after water: same as before, no big change.

Taste: a Swiss La Bleue serves as a base, very thick, very aniseed, but also very sweet (unusually sweet?). But what’s in the center stage before anything else is an intriguing multi-faceted candy, sometimes spicy, sometimes lemony, sometimes floral.

After taste: anis stays forever and in a powerful way, leaving a numb tongue.

Conclusion: an anise bomb but not only. Once you get passed the very strong anise presence, you discover very pleasant flavors, all in osmosis. To be enjoyed without sugar!

Buy Absinthe Esmeralda

$72