Duplais Balance
Liquor SnobThe Balance bottle had our favorite label of the three we received - each has a picture from a different artist. The absinthe itself had a beautiful bright green hue we’d never seen before - it was actually so brightly green we were put into mind of chlorophyll, and it was perfectly free of haze and debris. When we added cold water, the louche was nice and thick and full of neon green swirls, though not quite as slow as we might have liked. Though it went mostly white and opaque during the louche, the absinthe kept a nice green haze we hadn’t seen in other absinthes we’ve tried.
Before water the aroma was grander and more profound than the Blanche, much more strongly fennel and very herbal, which was most likely due in part to the lower alcohol. We found ourselves trying to describe it in terms of sound - this absinthe had a deeper pitch than the blanche - and we weren’t even feeling the effects of the tasting yet. The water brightened the aroma up significantly, and we detected even more minty notes, plus a hint of coriander?
The mouth feel was described by our intern wingmen as “slimy in a good way,” and there was definitely a bigness to it. Overall the taste was smokier than we’d expected, with some fruitiness there as well. The water brought out the anise flavor, and in a strange way we felt as though we were not experiencing a taste as much as an aftertaste, as though the flavor was delayed after the initial sip. The finish didn’t last as long as with the Blanche, but it was nice and warm along the way.
FeeVerte ForumReviewed by Donnie Darko 1/19/2007
COLOR BEFORE WATER 10/10
Beautiful luminous peridot that is free from debris. Flawless. I have no idea if it is natural or not, given the low-ish alcohol content (60%), but it looks ideal.
LOUCHE ACTION 8/10
It fogs up uniformly as opposed to possessing the entrancing layering effect seen in some absinthes, but it louches well enough.
COLOR AFTER WATER 9/10
More green post-louche than is typical of many absinthes. Quite pretty.
AROMA 26/30
Clean and flowery with a lot of coriander, but clean coriander, not stinky or soapy smelling coriander. Very little alcohol heat, in fact it smells more “cool” than “hot”. Usually coriander smells somewhere in between sharp and toasty. This smells more like soft smoke supported by rich fruit. No other absinthe smells anything like this one. The only critique is the aroma stays in the glass, it doesn’t fill the room.
MOUTH-FEEL 9/10
Smoothe satin, with a delicate balance between sweet and dry.
TASTE 17/20
This absinthe is all about the Coriander. It’s powerful, but finessed surprisingly well with decent fennel and a fruity wormwood you don’t notice until the end. The taste is not seamless by a long shot, nor is it similar to traditional vintage absinthe. This is a modern reinterpretation of absinthe, with an entirely unique and surprising taste. Perhaps what makes it impressive is the dichotomy between the smoky coriander in the beginning and the fruity persistent aftertaste. In a word, complex. The Yin-Yang symbol on the label makes a lot of sense when you taste it. Where something like Pernod Fils is one seamless shade of rich grey, this is black on one side, white on the other, but each side has a bit of the other that pokes through.
OVERALL IMPRESSION 9/10
This is a well crafted absinthe. It’s clean. It’s fruity. It’s floral AND it’s smoky. It’s entirely original and memorable. The colour is so pretty I’m not positive that it’s entirely natural, but it looks similar enough to Jade Edouard to give it the benefit of the doubt. The one peculiar thing about it is the alcohol content, which is only 60%, weaker than other quality Vertes. I think a boost in the the alcohol content might concentrate the herbal aromas a little more, and thicken up the taste a little, but that’s the only thing I can find wrong with it. I’m impressed.
PERSONAL NOTES
The artwork by Peter Christopherson (the bandmate/partner of the late Coil frontman John Balance) is distinctive. It features a robed electrified Eraserhead-baby looking character on what appears to be a throne, and to his right is a radio tower with a yin-yang symbol.
Donnie Darko scores Absinthe Duplais Balance 88 out of 100
Reviewed by Hartsmar 1/20/2007
COLOR BEFORE WATER 10/10
A wonderful green. Absolutely stunning with no flaws to be found.
LOUCHE ACTION 8/10
Very nice and makes a thick fine louche.
COLOR AFTER WATER 8/10
It keeps its green color in the louche but without being unnaturally neon green. I would have expected it to turn a bit more white but it’s very nice.
AROMA 27/30
An excellent aroma. The lower alcohol level keeps most of the alcohol bite away and lets the aroma bloom in full.
Nice touch of coriander mixed with fine wormwood.
MOUTH-FEEL 8/10
Really smooth and actually quite creamy even though the main character of the drink isn’t really thick or creamy at all but rather clean and… balanced.
TASTE 17/20
Super nice. Wormwood and fennel is definitely noticeable, but only after you let the coriander sink in. Just as Donnie wrote. There’s not reason for me to explain it again. Donnie said the perfect words for it.
OVERALL IMPRESSION 9/10
A very good absinthe indeed. The price range makes it a very attractive absinthe and is sure to be a success and a good one for newcomers to absinthe.
Personally I consider this a great “everyday” absinthe. Something that goes pretty well at most any occassion…
Hartsmar scores Absinthe Duplais Balance 87 out of 100
