Ricard (liqueur)

Aniseed-based liquors were popular in Southern Europe, i.e. ouzo and rakı in Mediterranean countries. Absinthe, an aniseed-based liquor largely produced by the Pernod Fils company, was the established "drink of choice" in France. However, absinthe had a high alcohol content and there were exaggerated fears that it was a dangerously addictive psychoactive drug and hallucinogen (side-effects thought to be caused by trace amounts of thujone).[4] This prompted the French government in 1915 to enact legislation to ban all alcoholic drinks that were more than 16% alcohol, acting as a complete prohibition on aniseed-based drinks, due to their being suspected of undermining the French war effort.[5][6] This prohibition was part of a global trend in that year, with prohibitions on absinthe being enacted in much of Europe, including France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, and Austria-Hungary, and even in the United States, however, recent studies demonstrate that absinthe is no more dangerous than ordinary spirits.[4]

As a result of the 1915 absinthe ban, to substitute for this traditional aperitif, Marseille locals started mixing their own aniseed-based drink, made from a combination of star anis, water, liquorice and herbs. Paul Ricard was first introduced to home-made pastis, otherwise known as "the thing" or "tiger's milk", by an old shepherd.[7] Ricard took the recipe for this "Marseille absinthe", and started experimenting and adapting it in his laboratory to produce a more refined version.[5] In the late 1920s, in his laboratory, Paul Ricard concocted an aniseed-based drink modelled along the same lines as this pre-existing pastis, test-marketing his product illegally in Marseilles bars,[6] as a result incurring some fines.[8]

In 1932, Paul Ricard started the Ricard company to produce and distribute the product, purportedly declaring, "It shall be called Ricard, the real pastis from Marseille!".[9] By 1938, sales of Ricard already stood at 2.4 million litres.[9]

In 1940, the production of Ricard was stopped with the Vichy regime's enactment (23 August 1940) of the "LoiContre L'Alcoolisme" ("Anti-Alcoholism Act") in France, which banned the manufacture and sale of aperitifs based upon alcohol distilled from anything other than grapes, followed by a subsequent enactment that completely banned such alcohol being advertised (September 1941).[10] The product's illegality continued until 1944 when the production of pastis became legal again.[10]

In 1951, 11 years after its interwar prohibition, once the production of pastis was authorized, the production of Ricard recommenced. In 1956, the delivery of the Ricard product on camelback, known as the "drink trailer", to avoid the fuel shortages created by the Suez Crisis, became part of the advertising of the Ricard product, such as the slogan "The Ricard Caravan vanquished thirst".[11]

In the 1960s, Ricard opened factories all over France.[12]

In 1975, the companies of Ricard and Pernod Fils, the two largest French aniseed aperitif producers and fierce competitors,[12] merged creating the Pernod Ricard group, which now produces and distributes Ricard.[13] The product range expanded exponentially and branches were established abroad.[12]

1984 marked the year that the billionth bottle of Ricard was sold.[9][14]

Ricard is often considered the leading flavoured spirit in France.[20] This century, Ricard has reported an annual consumption of their pastis in France ranging from 120 million litres to 130 million litres.[13] The Ricard and Pastis 51 brands hold high market positions for the Pernod Ricard group, which produces and distributes them through the Ricard company.[13] Ricard is often coined as the "first spirit brand" in France, based on the volumes sold and/or turnover.[21]

This century, more than 40 million litres[22] to 48.6 million litres (5.4 million 9 litre cases[23]) of Ricard are sold globally each year, making Ricard the world's eleventh-largest spirits signature.

In accordance with Paul Ricard's original recipe, which is the traditional way to serve Ricard, Ricard should be served cold, in a 1-to-5 dilution with chilled water, e.g. 20ml Ricard to 100ml water, after which ice cubes are added.[2][9] The water is added before the ice cubes, due to the anethole's cold sensitivity[2] This whole ritual was advocated by Paul Ricard in order to release the full aroma of the anise.[9] Dilution of Ricard with water causes the spirit to louch (turn milky). In its diluted form, Ricard is known colloquially as the "Milk of Marseille".[24]

A number of standard cocktails exist involving Ricard, some being variants of classic cocktails involving other aniseed-based liqueurs like absinthe: