Ricard Pastis de Marseille, created by Paul Ricard in 1932, is a French anise-flavored aperitif made with star anise, licorice root and Provençal herbs. It rests at 90 proof and retails for around $30.
It louches into an eggnog color with water, and once diluted to something more approachable (the company suggests 5 parts water to 1 part Ricard), it’s really quite tasty and refreshing. It’s on the sweet side for pastis, but not overly so.
