Week 9: Pacifique [52 Whispers From The Muse]
Pacifique
Overall Rating: 4.0
Appearance: 4.0
Louche: 4.0
Aroma: 4.0
Flavor/Mouthfeel: 4.0
Finish: 4.0
Overall: 4.0
Style: Verte
Country: United States
Appearance: A nice, light yellow green a little greener than Chartreuse. Clean and bright.
Louche: Nice and swirly in the making. I learned from reading other’s reviews a while ago that the trick to getting a nice, thick louche is by using very cold ice water. The first few times I drank this it came out very thin until I waited for the water to chill a bit in the freezer and used an easy, slow drip.
Aroma: Like an herbal perfume, well balanced and fresh.
Flavor/Mouthfeel: The well balanced aroma carries over to the flavor. While not a complaint or detriment, it did seem apparent that it was made with a neutral grain spirit as opposed to a grape based. That being said, it was extremely clean and had a nice crispness.
Finish: A mild finish that ends with distinct Wormwood and a little bit of numbing. Very nice.
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| photo courtesy of Bill Manning |
I picked this one to review this week after a conversation with a friend who moved out to the Seattle area from good, ole’ New England. He asked me for an absinthe brand recommendation and, living in the area, I suggested Pacifique. To my great envy he was able to take a tour, pick up a bottle and some Pacifique glasses with spoons (pictured left) which I now need for my life to be complete.
Pacifique was one of the earliest brands I tried which due to it’s absolute deliciousness, helped solidify my love for absinthe. When I first tried it, I liked it, but as time went on and I tried more and more brands, I really began to appreciate the quality of this one. This one also breaks my preconceived idea that all of the best absinthes are made from a grape based spirit.
I think it also helped that after a few glasses I went and read reviews in which many mentioned how picky this drink is with water temperature. The colder and slower the drip, the better the louche and creamier the texture. It really did just get better and better.
