Henri Bardouin Pastis Grand Cru French Pastis 70 cl 45%

Forcalquier sits in the Haute-Provence, where lavender, wormwood and centaury grow wild across the dry slopes. The town carries the Site Remarquable du Goût designation. That is no accidental address for a distillery.

Expert description

Henri Bardouin Pastis Grand Cru is a French Pastis produced at Distilleries et Domaines de Provence in Forcalquier and bottled at 45%.

More than 65 plants and spices go into it. They are harvested, macerated and distilled separately and only assembled at the very end. Some travel a long way: star anise from China, liquorice root from Syria, tonka bean, ginger, cardamom and cinnamon. Others are gathered around the distillery itself — wormwood and centaury from the Haute-Provence.

That volume of botanicals is what earns it the Grand Cru name. Where an ordinary pastis sticks to anise and liquorice, here a whole layer of spice sits on top and the sweetness has been pulled back. The house has been distilling aperitifs in Forcalquier for over a hundred years, and the Grand Cru arrived in 1990. It now sells in eighty countries.

Tasting notes

Nose

Star anise and liquorice root sit at the bottom, but what you notice is cinnamon, cardamom and a sweet stroke of tonka bean. Behind them something dry and bitter from the wormwood.

Palate

Broad and spiced. Ginger brings warmth, cinnamon brings sweetness without sugar, and liquorice root ties it together. Less cloying than most pastis.

Finish

Long and herbal. Centaury and wormwood lay in a fine bitterness at the end, with the anise lingering behind it.

Specifications

Name: Pastis Henri Bardouin Grand Cru
Distillery: Distilleries et Domaines de Provence
Region/Country: Forcalquier Haute-Provence France
Type: French Pastis
ABV: 45%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 3379974406017
Serving suggestion: 1 part Pastis to 5 parts iced water

Flavour profile

Anise · Liquorice · Spiced · Herbal · Bitter

Did you know?

The tonka bean in the recipe is the same one pastry chefs use to give custard a vanilla-like, almond-heavy aroma. In a pastis it is almost unheard of, and it is one reason Henri Bardouin tastes unlike anything else in the category.

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Frequently asked questions about Henri Bardouin Pastis Grand Cru

What does Grand Cru mean on a pastis?

It is not a protected term, but Distilleries et Domaines de Provence uses it for their top expression. The difference lies in the botanical count — over 65 plants and spices against a handful in a standard pastis — and in each one being handled separately.

How does it compare with Ricard?

More spiced and less sweet. Ricard runs cleanly on star anise and liquorice in a very recognisable line. Henri Bardouin adds cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, tonka bean and wormwood, so the anise shares the room with everything else.

Is it worth it?

Few pastis use more than 65 botanicals and distil them separately, and fewer still harvest part of them locally. Together with the distillery's century in Forcalquier, that makes it one of the most craft-driven bottles in the category.

How is it drunk?

One part pastis to five parts iced water, poured in that order. Some go down to four parts water to bring the spices further forward. Ice last.

Can you drink it without water?

A couple of drops neat in a small glass is actually the best way to meet the spices if you want to understand what is going on. As a drink it is too concentrated at 45%.

What does it go with?

Provençal food: tapenade, anchovies, ratatouille, grilled fish with fennel. The spiced side also handles lamb and dishes with cinnamon and orange, where ordinary pastis falls flat.

What is centaury?

A small bitter meadow plant that grows wild across the Haute-Provence and has been used in French aperitifs for centuries. It contributes the dry bitterness you pick up right at the back of the palate.

Which glass works best?

A tall straight glass with room for water and ice. If you want to nose it neat first, use a small tulip-shaped glass that gathers the aroma.