At first glance, many more serious absinthe drinkers may be led to question if Gothica absinthe is in fact a brand to be taken seriously. Look again however; and you may be staring straight into the face of the future of designer absinthes, shaped and crafted to appeal to a distinct market niche.
So read on because by the time you’re through, odds are that you’ll be ready to give it a try.
There’s no classic “old world” recipe here. The formula is all modern but do keep in mind that it’s all done with the same herbs and spices. In fact it’s proudly advertised as having no connection to that “old fashioned stuff.”
So to further hammer this point home, the makers of this “new age” absinthe jacked the alcohol percentage up to an eye popping 80%! Then they colored Gothica stark black! Yes it louches to a milky black color and the taste is said to have a hint of roses, along with the anise wormwood.
Nothing natural here either! So don’t bother asking what they used to color it, but virtually all other liquors on the bar shelf use additives and by law they don’t have to list them, so this is no big deal. The makers came up with a great looking bottle and label though. It’s a tall four sided pyramid shape with a black label with a “bright” purple skull design.
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May 2nd, 2010 at 11:35 pm
I’m not sure whether this is just another Alandia subsidiary to promote their products, but if not…I have a hard time believing that you opened this bottle at all. Indeed, simply tilting the bottle reveals the fact that the liquid within (scarcely worthy of being termed “absinthe”) is actually a dark turquoise at the center, and more antifreeze-colored at the edges. Antifreeze is actually a very good descriptor for the contents within: even the slightest undiluted drop exposes the tongue to the equivalent of a 3rd-degree burn. The smell is…unique. While strangely chemical, it is indeed tolerable. There appears to be no hint of the aforementioned roses, but the discerning palate may detect a vintage battery acid aftertaste. Perhaps an Eveready 9-volt. The louche turns the mixture an interesting color: slightly milky turquoise, and the smell is lessened – it is almost pleasant at this point, however this absinthe requires about 5 sugar cubes to merely be palatable. I strongly advise against the serving suggestion listed on the bottle: “with an infusion of red wine.” Trust me, it sounds very goth, but it is horrible. The two tastes do not mix at all, and it would be a waste of a perfectly good wine. If anything, I’d suggest going with a cheap and sweet white wine – try a Rivaner with this, if it is your intention to become incoherently drunk within a space of 15 minutes.
All in all, the only redeeming quality that I could find with the entire product was the packaging – a very unique bottle with some properly goth graphics. Unless you’re getting the bottle for free, I advise avoiding this absinthe at all costs.