Henri Bardouin Pastis

Pastis Henri Bardouin is a high-end spirit made by Distilleries et Domaines de Provence in Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. The distillery was founded in 1898, and had a succession of owners for nearly 80 years, among whom was Henri Bardouin, a man who was passionate about plants and herbs. This wonderfully complex pastis contains more than 65 different herbs and spices, but the starring role goes to anise. It hits first on the nose, before the nuances of the blend come through with more herbal and exotic spice aromas. The sharp botanicals come first on the palate before wormwood and spices take over. It is typically drunk mixed with water as an aperitif (generally, six parts cold water to one part pastis). A pastis for tasting requires greater dilution than industrial ones in order to appreciate the fine aromatic complexities.