Ricard Pastis de Marseille

Pastis is the quintessentially southern French aperitif and Ricard is the most popular brand in its home country. The key ingredients providing the unmistakable flavours are star-anise and liquorice along a range of Provençal herbs. With its characteristic pale yellow colour there's pungent aniseed on the nose balanced by the earthy sweetness of the liquorice while the finish is herbal and a touch bitter-sweet. Serve it 5 parts chilled water to 1 part pastis in a tall glass just like they do in Marseille.

Pastis Ricard was created in Marseilles in 1932 by one Paul Ricard who, still in his early twenties, came up with the formulation for a new aniseed-based aperitif. Massively popular in its home country of France it's less seen on our shores.