Greeningless – Henri Bardouin Pastis
Pastis is quite the underappreciated ingredient. Ever since absinthe is wildly available again, Pastis, the herbal liqueur created to replace the mysterious ingredient, has been ekes out a niche existence. Yet, apart from the two famous brands, high quality liqueurs exist with an excellent value for money. Of course, you have to be a fan of anise and fennel to enjoy those herbal treats.
The Distillerie et Domains de Provence produces the Henri Bardouin Pastis from 65 different herbs and spices. They are macerated in neutral grain alcohol with an ABV of 30 % to 70 %. This process takes between two weeks and three months. Afterwards, the macerate is strained or pressed before distillation in a copper pot-still. The resulting sprits are blended and left to rest in demi-johns. In the end, the Pastis is bottled at an ABV of 45 %.
Liquorice and anis
The Pastis delivers quite a lot of anise, fennel and liquorice flavours. Nevertheless, the herbal liquor has a complex flavour. For me, there are accompanying flavours of coriander seeds and pepper corns. On top of that, you are also reminded of salted liquorice with a noticeable sweetness. In the aftertaste, you can also find some tannins and even Szechuan pepper. I am rather fond of anise and liquorice, so it does not come as a surprise that I enjoyed the Henri Bardouin Pastis very much.
A Pastis Smash
For a drink with the Henri Bardouin, I wanted to underline the herbal notes, but also add some freshness. Therefore, I used a Smash as a recipe to base my cocktail on. Apart from that, I threw in a variety of herbs from our balcony. To “mellow” the taste of the Pastis, I also added Blanche Armagnac. Last, but not least, I used Gomme syrup as a sweetener.
3 cl Chateau de Laubade Armagnac Blanc
3 cl Lemon Juice
1,5 cl Giffard Gomme Syrup
1,5 cl Aqua Faba
1 Sprig Sage
1 Sprig Thyme
Shake with ice – strain – second shaker – shake again – fill Double Old-Fashioned glass over ice cubes;
Garnish: Thyme, Sage and Oregano Sprigs;
Song: Fil Bo Riva – Greeningless;
The “Greeningless” starts with a balanced anise and liquorice flavour. The Armagnac does a great job at keeping the Pastis in check. At the same time, the unaged grape spirit adds beautiful wine-like flavours which go very well with the herbs. The goal here is that the herbs add flavours, but do not overwhelm the drink. All in all, when you are looking for a herbal summer refresher, this drink is the perfect choice for you!
