Absinthe Toulouse Lautrec

I got this Czech absinthe blanche as a blind tasting sample a while ago from Andy at absinth24.net. No labels, no idea what it was. All in order for not to judge it for being Czech, which I only found out later. All I knew was that it was an absinthe blanche, obviously, and that it would probably surprise me.

So, did it? Yes it did, and very much so once I was told the story behind it from absintheur friend Arthur Frayn who also, at the same time sent me a smaller sample of it, not telling what it was. The aroma that arises from the bottle is actually quite nice. There's a bit of alcohol bite from it that I wish wasn't there, but overall it's very decent. It presents a bit of fruitiness along with some odd spicy and maybe in a way funky smell which I can't put my finger on. Either it's supposed to be there, or it's a flaw. Either way, that is what makes this a bit of interesting since it doesn't present an obvious problem in the taste.

Adding water to the Toulouse Lautrec presents a thick white louche. This is the first time I've come across such a fine louche in a Czech absinthe. It is also the first time I've come across the spelling absinthe on a Czech product, and not the native Absinth. The louched drink does release a rather full aroma from the glass but there's a lack of complexity none the less. Tasting it was actually not that bad. I must say that I've had other blanches that are better, but this was far from the worst. It presents a decent enough taste with a nice enough mix of herbal characters. Though I still think it does lack something I'd have to say it's actually rather OK. There could've been a more clean taste of the more floral herbs such as the fennel and I do lack a bit of the wormwood taste and also, there's that odd funkiness to it that in the end puts this one down a few notches.

The overall impression of this one is that it is actually rather OK and quite drinkable. Once I learned that it was Czech made it certainly gained a few points only for being the first drinkable Czech product. Distilled, spelled with an E at the end, includes anise and louches it's all but a regular mouthwash-like Czech crapsinth.

Do note that the rest of the products currently available from Cami is nothing like this. This is, this far, the only one absinthe from Cami that I can recommend anyone to buy. The others are as bad as they come. However, if this is what they have in store for the future, things might actually clear up on the eastern front eventually.