A look at a Spanish Sourced Absinthe, Obsello.
A bottle of Obsello, complete with wax seal.
While going through most of the “bigger” named absinthe manufacturers for this article, I came across a smaller brand absinthe that originates from Spain, called Obsello. Obsello while not only being an amazing representation of absinthe also has a bit of story to it.
I had the opportunity to speak to Bryan Alexander Davis, the master distiller and co-owner of Obsello for his very interesting back-story. When Bryan was at the young age of 18, he first heard about absinthe. Tracking down a bottle via the internet, he had his first taste. Unfortunately unbeknownst to him he had tracked down a bottle of Czech Hills brand absinthe, a product that used food coloring to pass itself off as a verte absinthe. Using knowledge Bryan had learned a year early while researching distilling and distilling his own rum, he decided to further research absinthe recipes and reverse engineer the sample he obtained to find out why absinthe at one time in history was once so popular and sought after. Ten years later in life, Bryan found himself in Catalonia, Spain searching for the ingredients he needed to recreate a long since gone version of Spanish absinthe that hadn’t been made in over seventy years.
After 10 years and several hundred trials, Bryan was able to perfect his Spanish style of absinthe, which would be come to be known as Obsello.
Using copper Galician pot stills made in the fashion of 1900’s century alembics, Bryan’s been able to a create an incredible unique absinthe that has an unmatched flavor profile.
Using a list of ingredients that include coriander, (Artemisia) wormwood, lemon balm and anise grown locally in Spain, Obsello has a very unique flavor profile and an interesting nose of anise coupled with hints of cinnamon.
When tasting it you’re presented with notes of sweet vanilla, and just the right amount of anise. Neither flavor overpowers the other, making each sip a perfectly balanced mix of flavors.
Adding a cube of sugar to Obsello brings out an additional flavor that conjures a very mild note that while we’re unsure of the cause is reminiscent of coffee.
A glass of Obsello,perfectly louched.
While most people attribute all great absinthes of being based on the original Swiss recipe, by using herbs sourced from Spain itself, Bryan Alex has manages to Demonstrate that there are other ways to create an impeccable presentation of absinthe with Obsello.
Final Score: 9.5/10
I LOVE Obsello. I’m not always the biggest fan of absinthe, but Obsello and Vieux Carre are so good that you can’t help but love them.
Just have to be careful with that wax covering off. At a cocktail party earlier this year, a friend of mine tried to open it with a steak knife and I ended up having to take her to the emergency room to get 4 stitches.