Pernod Paris Anise Liqueur

If you’re after a bold, anise-forward liqueur, Pernod is the original French answer. Often reached for in the same breath as ouzo, Pernod is France’s celebrated aniseed liqueur — the spirit that has defined the Parisian apéritif hour for generations. It traces its roots to 19th-century French café culture and took its modern anise form in 1920.

The flavor is unmistakable: a rich wave of anise and black-licorice character built from a distillation of star anise and fennel, then layered with coriander, mint and a dozen-plus aromatic plants. It’s aromatic, sweet on entry and long on the finish — intense neat, which is exactly why it’s made to be diluted.

That dilution is half the fun. Pour a measure over ice and top with about five parts cold water; as the water hits, the spirit louches into a beautiful cloudy gold and the aromatics open up. It’s refreshing, low-effort and endlessly sippable on a warm afternoon. Pernod is also a prized cooking ingredient — a small splash brings a savory, herbal lift to seafood, mussels, bouillabaisse and rich cream sauces, and it stars in cocktails from the Sazerac to a classic absinthe-style frappé.