Ricard

In accordance with Paul Ricard's original recipe, Ricard pastis should be served cold. The best way to enjoy it is to add 5 volumes of chilled water to 1 volume of Ricard and then add the ice cubes last. This ritual will release the full aroma of the anise. Ricard can be more or less diluted according to taste. The unique recipe makes it an ideal ingredient in many cocktails in combination with cordials (strawberry, mint), fruit juices (mango, cranberry), or tonic and a slice of lemon. It all began in 1930s Marseille, when cafes sold any number of anise-based liqueurs, most of them illicit and too sweet for consumers tastes. In Sainte-Marthe, Paul Ricard, a wine-merchant's son, dreamt of finding a formula that would meet everyone's tastes. One day in 1932, he finally had his recipe, declaring, It'll be called Ricard, the real pastis from Marseille! Ricard pastis owes its reputation to a unique recipe that has always remained a closely guarded secret. The quality and variety of the natural ingredients used make it one of a kind. The main ingredient is star anis. The finest, hand-picked fruits are sun-dried before their first distillation on site. A Ricard expert then selects the best star anis essences at source.