Pastis Henri Bardouin, Provence

To be classed as Pastis under French law, a spirit need contain merely liquorice, anethole and not more than 100g/l sugar. This Pastis Henri Bardouin made by Distilleries et Domaines de Provence, however, is made with an extensive blend of 65 Provencal herbs and imported spices.

Golden sandy yellow in the glass it turns a milky white with the addition of a splash of water.

On the nose there is spirit, aniseed and fennel, a touch of something medicinal and complex sweet spices with bitter herbs.

Tasted neat, the herbs on the palate leave a bitter finish, but a splash of water releases the aromas and emphasises the sweetness - an intense hit of sweet aniseed, complex spices, warming spirit and a herbal bitterness that goes on for a long time.

Different - if not unique; for maximum enjoyment, sip gently as a digestif at the end of a particularly pleasant evening. Ideally on a veranda with the aroma of wild hillside herbs wafting gently on the breeze as the sun sets on the Med.

Available from Waitrose for £20.75 (70cl, 45% vol); provided for review.

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Links
Henri Bardouin - website
Waitrose - website, twitter