Product: Obsello Absinthe Verde: The Green Fairy Has Made Her Way to the United States Producer: Obsello Approximate Retail Value: $49.99 for 750ml Category: Spirits Country of Origin: Spain Reviewer: Jon Costantino The F Words: Flavor – Strong, with peppermint notes. Feel – Light, dry and overpowering. Finish – Fragrant.

Rating:

For many serious drinkers, absinthe was the Bigfoot of spirits:  Everyone had heard about it, some people have claimed to have experienced it, but there was never any proof of its actual existence. Absinthe was the toast of Europe in the 19th century (it’s the “Green Fairy that inspires the drunken escapades in the film Moulin Rogue), and there were rumors that consuming it to excess would cause LSD-like hallucinations, which then led to absinthe to only be reintroduced to the United States in the last few years. What makes absinthe so interesting is the ingredient wormwood, which is a bitter herb found in Western Europe, and responsible for the thujone content in the beverage.  

Going to the Obsello website for guidance, I found two cocktails which to try the Obsello Absinthe Verde. The first is the Absinthe Mojito, which uses the traditional lime and mint flavors of the trendy drink. The color of the drink is a cloudy green, which resembles Japanese milky sake. When you first raise the glass, the aroma of the drink is so overpowering you almost want to put it down. The first scent that comes to mind is the Italian liqueur Sambuca, but even more so. But then that strong smell gives way to a mix of flowers and herbs, and that’s when it’s ready to be drunk (it has finished louching—indication of a REAL absinthe). The flavor gives way to a bit of sweetness, but then the wormwood kicks in and a major dryness comes through. The aftertaste is a bit bitter, but refreshing. The herbs really make a nice taste, but the initial aroma makes it tough on the first try.

The second cocktail on the list was the Clean Dream, which is a combination of Sprite and absinthe. This one is for the less adventurous types, and is like a wine spritzer for stronger drinks. Once again, the aroma of the absinthe is almost too strong, and most of the traces of the lemon-lime Sprite are gone. The real problem is what the combination of the two makes. I tried to put my finger on where I had tasted it before, and then I realized what it was: mouthwash. The mint of the Mojito actually helped enhance the herbs in the drink. For absinthe purists, the sugar cube and perforated spoon method will fare better, just like that Mary Poppins song: “A spoonful of sugar will make the medicine go down… in a most delightful way.”

Obsello’s proud rendering of carefully distilled Suisse grade Spanish absinthe, with a mixture of undisclosed herbs to give it its unique scent and taste (like the Colonel’s secret recipe) will surely appeal to bold and adventurous spirit seekers. But those with a steak-and-potato palate may want to quench their thirst on something blander and let the myth of Bigfoot remain demystified.