Henri Bardouin Pastis

[Joe Riley]

If you are a fan of Pernod or Ricard or Herbsainte, etc.., hang on to your hats - Henri Bardouin mops the floor with all of them.

From the importer's website:

Henri Bardouin Pastis is known as the Grand Cru of Pastis!

Henri Bardouin Pastis, a traditional anise-flavored French liqueur, hails from the Distilleries et Domaines de Provence in Haute Provence, France.

Made with the best natural herbs and spices from Provence, this Pastis exemplifies the richness and flavor of the region, known for its exceptional soil.

Twelve flavors are delicately balanced to give H.B. Pastis its unique, full taste. Stimulating to the palate without being overpowering, this is a Pastis to be savored.

The following botanicals contribute to its complex flavor: Star Anise, Cinnamon, Black Pepper, Tonka Bean, Nutmeg, Sage, White Pepper, Cardamom, Clove, Centaury, Artemisia, and Melequeta Pepper. Because it is made from only the finest ingredients, H.B. Pastis is known as the Grand Cru of Pastis.

Fine and balanced, H.B. Pastis is distilled from a recipe that has been handed down from generation to generation. Using the experience and dedication gained over centuries, the experts at Distilleries et Domaines pay careful attention to the smallest detail to achieve the harmonious blend of flavors that separates Henri Bardouin Pastis from all others.

Eleven(11) of the fifty(50) botanicals used in H.B. Pastis (The rest is in our secret recipe!):

Artemisia: slightly green in color and has a touch of bitterness that enhances the appetizing qualities of our Pastis.

Cardamon: is at the very heart of HB Pastis's aroma, contributing a mellow and velvety quality.

Centaury: is often associated with Artemisia. The mixture of these two complimentary plants enhances the refreshing qualities of Pastis.

Cinnamon: used for culinary purposes as both a flavoring and a preservative. This age-old spice is the inner bark of a tropical evergreen tree.

Clove: adds a piguant, flowery note of bouquet, giving Pastis its typical fragrance.

Nutmeg: was one of the reasons Columbus sailed from Spain five hundred years ago. This seed from a tropical evergreen has a delicately warm flavor, with an unmistakable aroma. The nutmeg seed sports a lacy membrane which, when dried and ground, becomes Mace, which has a stronger flavor.

Pepper: (black/white), the spice of India, brings a spicy note that lingers on the lips.

Melegueta Pepper, or Grains of Paradise: It's flavors contribute to Pastis's freshness and persistent aroma. A spice of equatorial Africa.

Star Anise: a star-shaped pod used mainly as a spice. Its flavor is derived from the same oil that gives anise seed its pronounced flavor. Star Anise is native to China and is a member of the Magnolia family.

Tonka Bean: a plant of South America. It reinforces the bouquet and adds the refined subtlety of mild tobacco flavors.

Simply delicious.

[Waitman]

If you are a fan of Pernod or Ricard or Herbsainte, etc.., hang on to your hats - Henri Bardouin mops the floor with all of them.

From the importer's website:

Simply delicious.

When you sip this, you can hear the cicadas singing. What do you get for a bottle of this stuff?

[Joe Riley]

When you sip this, you can hear the cicadas singing. What do you get for a bottle of this stuff?

'Round $30-ish. (whistles innocently to self...)

[Banco]

If you are a fan of Pernod or Ricard or Herbsainte, etc.., hang on to your hats - Henri Bardouin mops the floor with all of them.

I brought a bottle of this with me from our trip to Provence a few years ago. It truly is fantastic, though it helps to sit among oleander and olive trees while sipping it.

They also make absinthe and Tequila (!)

[Gubeen]

This stuff makes Pernod and Ricard seem rough and ignorant. Nothing better than a little HB on ice to calm and relax after a hard day's work. Now to get home through the traffic

I am very excited that Joe has brought some to town. Almost like Christmas.