Ricard Pastis de Marseille

Appearance (neat): Clear amber-gold. (diluted): Cloudy, pearlescent cream with a golden tint, resembling coconut milk; the color's intensity varies with dilution. Aroma: Anise and licorice. Flavor and Texture: When tasted neat, Ricard has an almost unpleasantly intense anise flavor, but it's never meant to be consumed that way. The standard method is a 1:5 dilution with ice-cold water and optionally ice (always add water first), and it's best served very cold. In this form, the flavor remains centered on anise, fennel, and licorice root, but also has a subtly sweet and astringent/numbing herbal quality. It's not sugary sweet at all, and the texture is watery. I also perceive a developing flinty, metallic taste as I progress through a glass, which isn't present in superior pastis like Henri Bardouin. Pastis emerged about a century ago, following the ban on absinthe. Pastis aren't simply absinthe without wormwood; they have other distinctions, but it's fair to say they were intended as absinthe substitutes. The best varieties are very good, but none match the complexity and texture of absinthe. Whether you enjoy this aperitif depends entirely on your preference for licorice, especially the stronger European kind. If you like ouzo or black sambuca, you'll likely enjoy Ricard or any other pastis. This is the kind of spirit that appeals based on mood and setting. Tasting a pastis on a cold winter evening might be less enjoyable than sipping it on a warm afternoon, in a quiet, shaded veranda overlooking the sea while listening to cicadas. Of course, that applies to many drinks, doesn't it? I also find pastis pairs exceptionally well with seafood. Ricard is a better-than-average pastis, but certainly not among the elite. However, along with Pernod Anise Liqueur, it's the most commonly found outside of France. "Above Average": 82/100 (3.25 stars).

Someone at my local liquor store suggested this liqueur for a cooling summer drink. They advised mixing one ounce of Pastis with six ounces of very cold water, stirring until the glass chills, and then drinking. If you enjoy star anise or black licorice, you'll love this, but if not, it's not a pleasant beverage. My mother-in-law, however, enjoys it in the summer. It's all about individual preferences. I do use it to rinse my glass when making a Sazerac, so it has other applications. I believe liqueurs like this have a place in a well-stocked bar, but a little goes a long way.

It's golden brown and leaves legs in the glass. It's a sweet anise liqueur with a soft mouthfeel, but it has an astringent herbal tingle, sweetness, and a slight alcohol rush. It becomes cloudy with water or an ice cube – the preferred way to drink it – but can also be used as a sweeter, milder alternative to Pernod or absinthe in cocktails. It's more refined than most Ouzos or Rakis. I enjoy it with a single ice cube, appearing like thin chocolate milk. It's comforting.

An intense, herbal liqueur from France, produced by Pernod Ricard, made with a mix of herbs and spices including star anise, fennel, licorice, and aromatic plants from Provence, bottled at 45% ABV. It starts aromatically with notes of zesty roots and woody botanicals, leading to a bold and rich middle, and finishes with an elegant, medium-length conclusion. March 2024

On the nose it’s black licorice, fennel, anise. Semi-sweet on the palate, black licorice, fennel, anise again, numbing when neat, but pretty tame at a 1:5 dilution with water.

One of the best summer anise liqueurs available. A typical French drink. Add water + ice and enjoy a game of petanque.