Like Me! Follow Me!
Please join La Clandestine's friends on:
For regular news on absinthe, enjoy:
Â
For detailed reviews of La Clandestine, click on the comments below:
- The Absinthe Review Network: "La Clandestine .. just gets everything right. Exceptional floral bouquet, plenty of lively fennel, makes for a tour de force of delicate, but masterfully balanced character; this is truly the current measuring stick of all la bleue style absinthe. Exceptional floral bouquet, plenty of lively fennel, makes for a tour de force of delicate, but masterfully balanced character; this is truly the current measuring stick of all la bleue style absinthe."
- Wormwood Society Reviews (the top rated imported absinthe sold in the USA): "A wonderful blanche ... one of the best commercial brand of bleue ... In the tasting, La Clandestine really comes into its own. The flavor is surprisingly rich and spicy, with a controlled herbal bitterness and no hint of unwanted grassiness. The finish is truly delightful: long, lingering, spicy and unique. Full marks! ...the Clandestine is heads-and-shoulders above the blanches I've tried. Well worth the investment, this bottle will make a worthy compliment to any Absintheur's collection... This is probably my favorite of all blanches and vertes combined and one I will definitely keep stocked."
- Absinthe Devil: "This is the measure that should be used to compare other Swiss Blues. I’ve tried 4-5 of the other artisanal absinthes from Val-De-Travers. All have been enjoyable but this is only one I will never leave un-stocked in my absinthe collection. This absinthe has been a part of my collection for 3 years. Prior to being available in the USA, I would drink it sparingly for special moments or events. Now that it readily available here, it will my first absinthe of choice."
- Spirits Review: "A very nicely done absinthe in the Swiss style. Distillation is excellent: reasonably complex, balanced."
- Liquor Snob: "Silky smooth and warming on the tongue. The flavor maintained the delicate gentleness we got from the first whiff, along with the nice balance of anise and fennel flavors. There was less of the bitterness we'd have expected from wormwood, but it made for a nice smooth drink, and we're glad this fine absinthe is no longer the secret its name implies. A testament to the lack of overwhelming kick was the fact that one of the interns shook his head as he stared mystified at the bottle and said "I can't believe this stuff is stronger than tequila."
- Everyday Drinkers: "La Clandestine brings a lot of value and delight to those looking for the less intense absinthe recipes. You’ll get your typical anise and fennel flavors but you won’t have them punch your palate in the face. You’ll find good subtle flavors to give your mouth a chance to work out the profile without being “told” what you should taste; this is one of the most interesting points to a quality spirit. For those that are considering their first absinthe experience La Clandestine is the way to go for those absinthe virgins out there because it will give you a sense of the history of absinthe without tipping those same senses on their head."
- Drinkhacker: "A" "With its clear anise notes and heady aroma of fennel and sugary sweets, this is a very drinkable and easygoing absinthe. But what I actually like the most is the interesting and unique lavender color of the louche. La Clandestine is an absinthe you can stare it for hours, getting lost in its milky swirls while you get quietly drunk off your ass."
Â
For more details of Swiss Absinthe:
And a few more links ....
Â
- The Russian absinthe article on Wikipedia
- Claude-Alain Bugnon in the New York Times in 2004
- Swiss Absinthe in Sign On San Diego in 2005
- Claude-Alain Bugnon on Canadian TV in 2006 (scroll down to the Absinthe story, in French)
- Inabsinthia interview with Alan Moss who helps Claude-Alain in his spare time!