After enjoying Honeoye Falls Distillery’s red absinthe, La Cascade Rouge, I had to track down their verte offering.
La Cascade Verte proved to be a more elusive absinthe in my area, but I was finally able to get my hands on a bottle.
After spending this evening indulging in a couple of glasses of today’s score, I think it’s time to give it a proper review!
La Cascade Verte Absinthe Review
La Cascade Verte is a traditional green absinthe. It contains the “Holy Trinity” herbs (anise, wormwood, and fennel) in addition to strong mint and citrus notes.
Try as I might to take this absinthe on its own merits, comparing it to La Cascade Rouge is inevitable.
While I enjoyed the complexity and delicate nature of La Cascade Rouge, I expected something slightly more full-bodied with La Cascade Verte.
I wouldn’t say that this is a bad absinthe, but it’s not one I would plan on purchasing again.
Recommended: How to Properly Prepare Absinthe (Beginner Friendly Guide)
Louche
The louche for La Cascade Verte was so thin that it was almost nonexistent. The textures and mouthfeel of this absinthe are appropriate, but the delicate louche was unexpected and admittedly disappointing.
I typically prepare my absinthe at a ratio of about 2.5:1 water to absinthe. Well before I hit this ratio in my preparation I worried if I had accidentally added too much water. The louche is just that thin.
Instead of the typical milky white swirl, this absinthe’s louche just makes the spirit slightly cloudy.
The presentation leaves much to be desired. I expected La Cascade Rouge to have a lighter louche, but couldn’t help but scratch my head at why La Cascade Verte’s louche is so minimal.
Flavor
The bitterness of the wormwood takes a noticeable back seat in La Cascade Verte. It’s there, but you have to really look for it.
The flavor is strongly dominated by the citrus and, particularly, the mint. I love mint, but this just felt overpowering and buried most of the complexity that I expect in any absinthe.
While I wouldn’t put La Cascade Verte in the “basically mouthwash” category, it does start to approach that territory.
The aroma is a pleasant bouquet of all of the notes that I expected. I think that is why the heavy hit of mint flavor caught me so off guard.
Once you expect the strong mint flavor, it’s not so bad. If you aren’t expecting it or have let your mind wander before taking a sip, you’re going to be surprised. This happened on a few occasions while I was doing some reading and having my first glass of this absinthe.
The finish, however, is where La Cascade Verte just misses the mark.
I can’t quite put my finger on what the flavor is. It’s not like anything listed in the absinthe’s ingredients nor is it like anything I’ve tasted before.
It’s somewhat sour but made even more confusing and off-putting by the mint still lingering on the palate. I did some digging online and found someone comparing it to a slight onion flavor, which is pretty accurate.
I have no idea what that’s about, but it didn’t do it for me.
Conclusion – The Final Verdict on La Cascade Verte
Unfortunately, La Cascade Verte misses the mark for me. At around $35 for a 350 mL bottle, I really expected more.
This might make for a decent absinthe for some cocktails like Death in the Afternoon where the mint can be balanced out by other flavors.
Taken on its own, I’d recommend going with its counterpart: La Cascade Rouge (read the review here) for roughly the same price.
This won’t be going to waste, but it’s not one that I’d readily recommend.
