absinthefiend

Sorry for the delay, haresfur. And yes, you're quite right - I did mean water:absinthe ratio. Thank you for the correction. Reversing them would probably make the drink fit only for Paul Verlaine! The conversion to private sales... well, I suppose time will tell for certain. It doesn't kick in until June 1st, and so far the only obvious result has been a thinning out of available products, as stores have begun to stop reordering certain things as they sell out. I was at least able to take advantage of a few closeout sales (a very nice Dewar's scotch gift sampler, Michter's US-1 small batch rye, and a couple of bottles of Pacifique). We'll see what surprises June and after will hold. Good call on the Obsello! That's a very nice Spanish absenta which I enjoy most on hot days, as it's very refreshing. By the way, Mansinthe is actually a decent absinthe, too. In fact, the only "bad" thing I can say about it is that it's a mid-shelf absinthe without distinction, meaning that it's well-balanced and uses good (if not the absolute best) wormwood and other botanicals. It's perfect for cocktails and cooking.

Hello all, I realize this thread has aged a bit, but I want to offer my own experiences up here since someone mentioned Vieux Carre and then asked about Pacific and Ridge verte. I've had the good fortune of trying all three of these, and for anyone who is interested in trying absinthe, they would all make very good introductions. As a short comparison, I'd say that the VC has a little bit more of a minty flavor to it, the Pacifique has a traditional Montpellier-style taste, and the Ridge verte is perhaps the most full-bodied and rich of the three, capable of taking quite a bit of water (5:1 or even higher), while you'd want to stick closer to a 4:1 absinthe-to-water ratio with the others. (As noted earlier, part of determining when to stop watering is based on when all of the essential oils appear to have finished being released during the louche, but part of it is also based on personal preference toward taste). The Ridge verte (there is also a Ridge blanche, which is a white or clear absinthe) is the newest on the market, and the most difficult to find, but it's out there. One site I like (with which I'm not affiliated in any way) is DrinkUPNY, which has both the Ridge and the Vieux Carre. I'm fortunate to be able to get Pacifique locally here in the Pacific northwest.