The La Sorcire Absinthes are made by Old World Spirits a new distillery in Belmont, California established Croatian-born master distiller Davorin Kuchan. The Verte is a brandy-based absinthe distilled from wine made by local California growers, macerated with wormwood, fennel, anise, star anise and other herbs before distillation. Then the spirit gets a second maceration where the chlorophyll from the herbs imparts a green color. The aromas are not as bold as some of its contemporaries, partly because Kuchan tones down the proof to 100, but the concentration is beautiful. The anise really shines and the flavors are clean and focused. This is an absinthe I would like to drink straight, with no water added. La Sorcire has gotten rave reviews from the Wormwood Society, and from us here as well.