Jade Esprit Edouard Absinthe (700ml)

This is the first absinthe that Jade painstakingly reverse engineered from sealed antique bottles of the original spirit. Its story is rooted in the late 19th century, at the time when one of the world's most prestigious absinthe distilleries was at the zenith of its existence. This distillery crafted products that were the subject of widespread acclaim and international export. At the time of the ban, this distillery had earned the distinction as one of the largest absinthe producers and was considered by many absinthe connoisseurs to be one of the finest marques. Almost a century later, perfectly preserved bottles of this pre-ban absinthe have yielded the secrets of its producer. Not since the original French and Swiss bans has the world seen a French absinthe that boasts the quality of this original - a fabulously faithful reproduction.

Esprit Edouard pours an eye-catching bright lime green. The bouquet opens shy, but engages with an amalgam of citrus peel, cut grass and chamomile tea-like scents. Second pass adds fennel, crushed curry leaf, sweet oregano and cool mint to the intriguing complexity. A concentrated, dry, piney, anise burst follows through to a vibrant, sappy, mildly bittersweet mid palate...a surge of sweet anise, then delicately bitter to finish with hints of turmeric and liquorice root through the aftertaste. Wow! The balance is quite astonishing given the lip-numbing ABV. The extreme end of absinthe in every sense. 72% Alc./Vol.

Other reviews... The first absinthe created by American absinthe expert, Ted Breaux and Combier to replicate an original sample of 19th century. Prior to the ban in the early 1900s, Esprit Edouard was one of the leading brands of absinthe. Appearance: Clear, deep greeny gold. With water louches cloudy milky yellow green. Oils cling to surface resisting integration with water during louche. Aroma: Citrussy, anise, fennel and génépi with note of carbolic soap, faint barkyness with uncooked cut cabbage and coriander leaf. Taste: Wormwood, fennel and anise - clean and direct with well integrated flavours of cumin and coriander seed. Aftertaste: Fades with anise. Long cleaning finish. Clean direct flavours make perfect for cocktail use. 5 Stars. Outstanding. - diffordsguide.com

95 Points - The Tasting Panel

5-STARS / Highest Recommendation - Paul Pacult's Spirit Journal