Although typically just diluted with water, there have been conscious efforts to incorporate pastis into cocktails.
Indeed, it’s a wonderfully complex ingredient to enjoy on a sunny day or to add complexity to a concoction!
In this guide, you will discover the top 10 best pastis cocktails:
- Classic Pastis Mixers
- Pastis Sazerac
- Pastis Old Fashioned
- Pastisito
- The Mediterranean
- Marseille Mule
- Coastal Breeze
- Niçois Cocktail
- Pineapple Pastis
- Le Crazy Quikie
Simply use the links above to jump ahead or scroll down to read them all!
What Are The Best Pastis Cocktails?
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1. Classic Pastis Mixers
Although pastis cocktails are rare, mixers are very common in the south of France. Pastis is usually just diluted with water but there are a number of popular concoctions where syrup is added, too.
Here are some of the most common pastis mixers, their names, and translations where necessary:
- Le Perroquet (The Parrot): Pastis & Mint Syrup
- Le Rourou: Pastis & Strawberry Syrup
- La Tomate (The Tomato): Pastis & Grenadine Syrup
- Le Stoptou (A French Liquorice Sweet): Pastis & Picon Liqueur
- La Tronçonneuse (The Chainsaw): Pastis & Beer
- Le Prince des Villes (The Prince Of Towns)*: Pastis, Peach Syrup, Beer
- La Limonette: 1 Volume Pastis, 5 Volumes Lemonade
- Le Goudron (The Tar): 1 Volume Pastis, 5 Volumes Coca-Cola
* The name refers to a song by Michel Berger so it’s typically served with Berger pastis.
As hinted above, all the mixers apart from the Limonette and the Goudron are diluted with water. You can typically expect something around 1 volume pastis, ½ volume syrup, and 5 volumes or more of water. Feel free to add crushed ice and any garnish you want.
2. Pastis Sazerac
A timeless cocktail from New Orleans, the Sazerac was the reason why J. Marion Legendre created Herbsaint in 1934 following the absinthe ban. However, it can be made with pastis, which yields a somewhat different result.
You’ll need the following ingredients:
- 50 ml (1¾ Oz) Cognac
- 15 ml (½ Oz) Pastis
- 2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
- 1 Lemon Peel
Add the pastis to a tumbler glass and swirl it around until it leaves an even coating on the interior. Fill the glass with crushed ice and set it aside. Add the cognac and bitters to a second tumbler glass and stir them with ice.
Afterwards, discard the contents from the first glass as you just want the pastis’ essence. Strain the contents of the second tumbler into the first and add a lemon peel for garnish.
3. Pastis Old Fashioned
Although named after the classic whiskey cocktail, this version only really shares the use of bitters.
It requires the following ingredients:
- 30 ml (1 Oz) Pastis
- 15 ml (½ Oz) Elderflower Syrup
- 15 ml (½ Oz) Sparkling Water
- 3 Dashes Angostura Bitters
Add the ingredients to a tumbler glass filled with ice starting with the pastis and finishing bitters. Stir the contents and then add either an orange peel or star anise for garnish.
4. Pastisito
Pastis is a great addition to a regular mojito and its bracing character can add another layer of complexity to the rum and line concoction.
You’ll need the following ingredients:
- 30 ml (1 Oz) Pastis
- 30 ml (1 Oz) White Rum
- 15 ml (½ Oz) Lime Juice
- 15 ml (½ Oz) Sugar Syrup
- Fresh Mint
- Soda Water
Add the mint leaves to the base of an empty glass and muddle with the lime juice so they release their flavour. Add the remaining ingredients with crushed ice except for the soda water and stir carefully. Top up with soda water and garnish with lime.
5. The Mediterranean
Reminiscent of a peach syrup pastis mixer, the Mediterranean is far more complex as it uses Rinquinquin instead. Rinquinquin is a classic French wine aromatised with peaches and sugar.
It consists of the following ingredients:
- 30 ml (1 Oz) Pastis
- 30 ml (1 Oz) Rinquinquin
- 30 ml (1 Oz) Lemon Juice
- 15 ml (½ Oz) Barley Water
Add all the ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake until well chilled. Strain into a glass filled with fresh ice and garnish with lemon.
6. Marseille Mule
Combine the spices of pastis with ginger beer to produce a richly invigorating cocktail!
It requires the following ingredients:
- 30 ml (1 Oz) Pastis
- Ginger Beer To Taste
- Lime
Cut the like into quarters and crush them into the base of a tumbler glass. Add the pastis and fill the glass with ice. Top up with ginger beer to taste and garnish with a lime twist.
7. Coastal Breeze
Created by Romain Tritsch, the head bartender of Eat Me Lausanne in Switzerland, Coastal Breeze is an invigorating tonic to say the least!
You’ll need:
- 30 ml (1 Oz) Pastis
- 30 ml (1 Oz) St Germain Liqueur
- 30 ml (1 Oz) Lemon Juice
- Egg White
- Rosemary
- Brown Sugar
Start by rubbing a rosemary sprig into the brown sugar. Add the pastis, liqueur, lemon juice, and a dash of egg white into a shaker filled with ice. Shake until well-chilled and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with the rosemary sprig.
Ensure that the egg is fresh. You can do this by gently dropping it into a glass of water. If it sinks to the bottom, it’s probably fine. Meanwhile, if it floats, it won’t be fresh enough.
8. Niçois Cocktail
A light and fruity albeit somewhat zesty cocktail, the Niçois is laid-back and easygoing for a hot summer’s day.
You will need the following:
- 45 ml (1½ Oz) Pastis
- 60 ml (2 Oz) Orange Juice
- 30 ml (1 Oz) Lemon Juice
- 15 ml (½ Oz) Peach Syrup
Add the ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a glass and garnish with lemon and lime wedges.
9. Pineapple Pastis
This cocktail takes a while to prepare but you’ll find it to be one of the most refreshing and relaxing options on this list by far!
You’ll need the following ingredients:
- 120 ml (4 Oz) Pastis
- 100 g (3.5 Oz) Sugar
- 150 ml (5 Oz) Soda Water
- 1 Lime
- 1 Pineapple
Peel the pineapple and set the flesh aside. Take the bark and place it in a saucepan. Cover it with the sugar and add 0.5 litres (17 Oz) of water. Let it simmer.
After 20 minutes, let the mixture sit for three hours. Pour the pastis into a pitcher, add the juice from a whole lime, and then strain the pineapple liquid in. Top up with ice and soda water to taste and garnish with lime wedges.
10. Le Crazy Quikie
Apparently quite popular in Austria, here’s a weird one to try out for those cooler evenings. It’s a chocolatey cocktail and surprisingly good!
It consists of the following:
- 30 ml (1 Oz) Pastis
- 150 ml (5 Oz) Milk
- 2 Tbsp Nesquik Cocoa Powder
- Whipped Cream
Add the ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a tall glass with ice and garnish with whipped cream, cocoa powder, and star anise.
What Next?
Now that you have read about the best pastis cocktails, why don’t you check out some of our related spirit guides?
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