Pernod Paris 70 cl 40%

The yellow bottle with the slanted signature has stood in French bars for the best part of a century. Order a Pernod in Marseille and you are not getting pastis. You are getting something older.

Expert description

Pernod is a French Anise Liqueur made from distillates of star anise and fennel and bottled at 40%.

Alongside star anise and fennel there are fourteen other aromatic plants, coriander and mint among them. The star anise comes mainly from Vietnam and southern China and is distilled to draw out a clean, potent anethole. The liquorice content is low, and that is precisely where Pernod parts company with pastis: less sweetness, more anise, and a drier, more floral line.

The story starts in 1805, when Henri-Louis Pernod opened Pernod Fils in Pontarlier and made absinthe. After the absinthe ban a wormwood-free version appeared in 1920, and the Pernod we know today was created in 1938.

Tasting notes

Nose

Clean star anise, sharp and obvious. Fennel behind it, and a light minty coolness lifting the whole thing.

Palate

Anise takes up most of the room, but without the heavy liquorice sweetness. Coriander brings a light citrus spice, and there is a floral tone through the middle.

Finish

Clean and fairly short. The anise ebbs away and leaves a cool, almost menthol sensation.

Specifications

Name: Pernod
Distillery: Pernod
Region/Country: France
Type: French Anise Liqueur
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 3047100090316
Serving suggestion: 1 part Pernod to 5 parts iced water

Flavour profile

Anise · Fresh · Floral · Spiced · Dry

Did you know?

Pernod is a fixture in French kitchens. A splash into the pot with fish soup or mussels burns off the alcohol and leaves the anise behind — that is how a proper bouillabaisse gets its spiced undertone.

See our full range of Pernod

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Frequently asked questions about Pernod

Is Pernod the same as pastis?

No. Pastis has to carry liquorice root as a load-bearing ingredient, and Pernod holds very little liquorice. Pernod is an anise liqueur built on star anise and fennel, so it tastes drier and less sweet than a pastis does.

Is this the same Pernod as the absinthe from 1805?

Not any more. Henri-Louis Pernod made absinthe with wormwood from 1805. When absinthe was banned, a wormwood-free version arrived in 1920, and the current recipe dates from 1938. An Absinthe following the original recipe returned in 2005.

How do you drink it?

One part Pernod to five parts iced water. The water goes in, not the other way round, and the drink shifts from clear yellow to milky white. Ice goes in last.

Can you drink it neat?

You can, but it is not built for it. At 40% and with concentrated anethole it becomes overwhelming without water, and you lose the louche entirely.

What is Pernod used for in cooking?

Fish and shellfish above all. A splash in bouillabaisse, in the sauce for mussels, or flamed over prawns. The anise lifts the natural sweetness of shellfish without burying it.

Which cocktails use Pernod?

Death in the Afternoon with champagne, the Sazerac where the glass is rinsed with anise, and the Corpse Reviver No. 2. A couple of drops is usually enough, because the anise takes over quickly. Serve them in proper glassware.

Why does it turn milky white with water?

Anethole from star anise dissolves in alcohol but not in water. When you dilute it, it drops out as tiny droplets that scatter the light and cloud the glass. The effect is called the louche.

How long does an opened bottle last?

Several years. The strength and the essential oils keep it stable, though light wears on the anise notes over time. Store it dark and upright.