Berger Pastis de Marseille Anis Liqueur France 70 cl 45%

The story does not begin in Marseille but in a Swiss valley. In 1823 a monk and botanist handed his absinthe recipe to a young man named Charles Frédéric Berger. The rest of it moved south.

Expert description

Berger Pastis de Marseille is a French Pastis bottled at 45% and built on selected star anise and fresh liquorice root.

The Berger brand was formally created in 1830 in Couvet, Switzerland. The founder's sons moved the business to Marseille in 1878, and in 1923 the house was bought by Marie-Louis Gassier, who set about developing new aperitifs. The yellow pastis — le jaune, as the French call it — arrived in 1947.

The style is the classic Marseille line: clean anise, clear liquorice and a balanced sweetness with no spice layer on top. The 45% brings structure and warmth without drowning the botanicals. Today Berger belongs to Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits.

Tasting notes

Nose

Intense anise and liquorice, drier than many others in the category. Fennel behind it and a light herbal tone.

Palate

Full and aromatic. The liquorice root is obvious, the anise clean, and a touch of pepper through the middle keeps the sweetness in place.

Finish

Medium and straightforward. Liquorice and anise hold together to the end without any bitter tail.

Specifications

Name: Berger Pastis de Marseille
Distillery: Berger
Region/Country: Marseille France
Type: French Pastis
ABV: 45%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 3191010010138
Serving suggestion: 1 part Pastis to 5 parts iced water

Flavour profile

Anise · Liquorice · Fresh · Spiced · Classic

Did you know?

Berger Blanc, the house's white anise aperitif, came before the yellow pastis and is still in production. Two bottles from the same house, two completely different expressions of anise.

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Frequently asked questions about Berger Pastis de Marseille

What is the difference between Berger and Ricard?

Berger is a shade drier and more direct, Ricard a shade sweeter and broader. They sit close together in style, and choosing between them is a matter of taste rather than quality.

What is the difference between Berger Pastis and Berger Blanc?

The colour and the profile. Berger Blanc is a white anise aperitif from 1923 where the anise stands alone and clean. Pastis Berger from 1947 is the yellow one with liquorice root, fuller and sweeter.

How is it mixed?

One part pastis to five parts iced water. Pour the water into the pastis, not the other way round, and let the ice come last. If you want it stronger, go down to four parts.

Why does it turn milky white?

Anethole from star anise does not dissolve in water. It drops out as microscopic droplets that scatter the light as you dilute. It is the same effect you see in every genuine anise spirit.

What does it go with?

An aperitif with olives, anchovies and salted almonds. At the table it works with shellfish, grilled fish, tapas and southern French cooking built on garlic and tomato.

Can you make cocktails with it?

Yes. Mauresque with almond syrup, Tomate with grenadine and Perroquet with mint syrup are the three French classics. All three are pastis, water and a single syrup.

Why does the brand have Swiss origins?

Because the recipe started as absinthe. Couvet in the Val-de-Travers is the birthplace of absinthe, and that is where Charles Frédéric Berger began in 1823. See more under Absinthe.

Which glass should you use?

A tall straight glass with room for five parts water and a couple of ice cubes. A short tumbler makes the drink too concentrated and shuts the anise in.