Updated at: 23-04-2026 - By: John Lau

There is something undeniably romantic about the moment a splash of Ricard meets cold water in a glass. The liquid shifts, clouds, and blooms into a soft, milky gold, releasing a rush of anise and licorice that smells like Provence on a warm afternoon. If you have ever watched that transformation happen and felt a little thrill of pleasure, you already understand why the Ricard cocktail has captivated drinkers across France and beyond for nearly a century.

Whether you are hosting a sun-drenched terrace aperitivo, planning a French-themed dinner party, or simply searching for a spirit that feels a little more glamorous than your usual go-to, Ricard is the bottle worth reaching for. It is aromatic, complex, endlessly versatile, and carries the kind of effortless chic that only southern France can bestow upon a drink. The best part? Most Ricard cocktails take under two minutes to make and require only a handful of ingredients. You do not need a cocktail shaker or a mixology degree. You just need a good glass, beautiful ice, and a sense of occasion.

In this guide, you will find 17 stunning Ricard cocktail recipes, from the classic French café staples to modern, creative twists that will genuinely surprise your guests. Each one is lovingly described with vivid detail so you know exactly what you are making and how to present it at its most beautiful. Let us begin.


What Is Ricard? The Spirit of the South

To truly fall in love with a Ricard cocktail, it helps to know the story behind the bottle. Ricard is a pastis, a French anise-flavored liqueur born out of necessity, ingenuity, and the irrepressible spirit of Marseille. It was created in 1932 by a twenty-three-year-old Marseillais entrepreneur named Paul Ricard, who saw an opportunity when the French government lifted its ban on strong alcohol, though absinthe itself remained forbidden.

For nearly two decades prior, France had been grappling with the absence of its beloved absinthe. The government banned the spirit in 1915, citing concerns about wormwood, one of its key botanicals, and its supposed mind-altering effects. The people of Marseille, never ones to accept deprivation quietly, had already begun crafting their own homemade aniseed drinks using star anise, licorice root, and a blend of aromatic herbs. Paul Ricard took that local tradition, refined it, and bottled it under his own name, giving the world a spirit that was lower in alcohol than absinthe, wormwood-free, and deeply rooted in the flavors of the Mediterranean.

The word “pastis” itself comes from the Provençal word “pastisson,” meaning a mixture or a blend, which is exactly what Ricard is: a carefully guarded blend of Chinese star anise, licorice root, and aromatic plants sourced from the hills of Provence. The precise recipe is known by only a handful of people and is kept in a secure vault in Marseille, a detail that gives Ricard a sense of mystique worthy of its cult status. The brand grew so successfully that in 1948, Ricard became the first official sponsor of the Tour de France, and in 1970, Paul Ricard lent his name to a Formula 1 race circuit. In 1975, the brand merged with its greatest rival, Pernod, forming the now-iconic Pernod Ricard Group.

Today, an astonishing 130 million liters of pastis are sold every year in France alone, equating to roughly two liters for every French adult annually. Ricard holds the lion’s share of that market. What was once a café staple for pétanque players in dusty Provençal squares has evolved into an ingredient celebrated by bartenders from Paris to New York, who prize its ability to weave complexity into cocktails without overpowering them.

Flavor-wise, Ricard is dominated by frank anise and licorice on the nose, with a beguiling softness underneath. On the palate, it delivers warmth, herbal sweetness, and a long, cooling finish. When diluted with water, it undergoes what scientists call the “louche” effect, or the ouzo effect: the clear, amber liquid turns opalescent and milky as essential oils precipitate out of the alcohol. It is one of the most visually satisfying things in the world of drinks, and it is one of the reasons why ordering a Ricard cocktail always feels like a small, private luxury.


The Ricard Cocktail Recipes You Need to Try

Classic Ricard and Water (Le Pastis Nature)

Classic Ricard and Water (Le Pastis Nature)

Ingredients:

  • 2 cl (about 3/4 oz) Ricard
  • 10 to 14 cl (about 3.5 to 5 oz) cold still water
  • 2 to 3 ice cubes

Instructions:

  1. Pour the Ricard into a tall, narrow pastis glass or a highball glass.
  2. Add the ice cubes.
  3. Slowly pour in the cold water, using a ratio of between 5 and 7 parts water to 1 part Ricard.
  4. Watch the liquid louche into a cloudy golden haze. Do not stir. The magic happens on its own.
  5. Serve immediately, ideally with a small dish of olives and salted almonds.

This is the original, the foundation, the drink that started it all. The glass glows a dreamy pale gold, like diluted sunlight, with a softly opaque quality that shifts as you tip the glass. The aroma alone, all anise, fennel, and something faintly botanical and sweet, is worth pausing over. There is no garnish needed because the drink itself is the garnish. Best enjoyed on a warm evening with absolutely nowhere urgent to be.


La Mauresque

La Mauresque

Ingredients:

  • 4 cl (about 1.5 oz) Ricard
  • 1 cl (about 1/3 oz) orgeat almond syrup
  • 10 to 15 cl (about 3.5 to 5 oz) cold still water
  • Ice cubes

Instructions:

  1. Pour the Ricard and orgeat syrup into a tall glass.
  2. Add the ice cubes last (adding them first can prevent the pastis and syrup from blending properly).
  3. Top with cold water and give it the gentlest stir.
  4. Serve with a cocktail cherry or a thin orange slice if you like a flourish.

La Mauresque is arguably the most beloved Ricard cocktail in France. Its name comes from the Provençal word “mauresca,” referencing the Moors of North Africa, and some historians link its origins to French soldiers stationed in Algeria in the 1830s who stirred almond syrup into their absinthe. In a Ricard cocktail version, the orgeat adds a creamy, nutty sweetness that softens the anise and gives the drink a velvety, almost dessert-like quality. The color is a pale, luminous ivory with the faintest blush of gold. It is utterly gorgeous in a wine glass, and it is the aperitif equivalent of a long, slow exhale after a difficult week.


Le Perroquet

Le Perroquet

Ingredients:

  • 2 cl (about 3/4 oz) Ricard
  • 1 cl (about 1/3 oz) green mint syrup
  • 10 to 15 cl (about 3.5 to 5 oz) cold still water
  • Ice cubes
  • Fresh mint sprig, for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Pour the Ricard into a glass.
  2. Add the mint syrup.
  3. Add ice, then top with cold water.
  4. Stir gently and garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.

The name means “the parrot,” and once you see this drink, you will understand exactly why. It is a vivid, tropical green, the colour of a parrot’s wing against a bright sky, and it tastes as refreshing as it looks. The mint syrup cuts through the licorice warmth of the Ricard with a sweet, cooling brightness that makes this an ideal Ricard cocktail for summer afternoons by the pool. Serve it in a tall glass with plenty of ice and that sprig of mint standing proud. It is one of the most visually striking drinks you can make in under sixty seconds.


La Tomate

La Tomate

Ingredients:

  • 2 cl (about 3/4 oz) Ricard
  • 1 cl (about 1/3 oz) grenadine syrup
  • 10 to 15 cl (about 3.5 to 5 oz) cold still water
  • Ice cubes
  • Lemon wheel or cocktail cherry, for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Pour the Ricard and grenadine into a glass.
  2. Add ice cubes.
  3. Top with cold water and stir gently.
  4. Garnish with a lemon wheel or a cherry perched on the rim.

Do not let the name fool you: there is not a single tomato in this glass. La Tomate gets its name purely from its gorgeous blush-red color, which comes from the grenadine syrup. The sweetness of the pomegranate syrup plays beautifully against Ricard’s anise backbone, creating a Ricard cocktail that feels fruity and festive without being too saccharine. It pools into a warm, rosy hue in the glass, like a Mediterranean sunset in liquid form. This is the one to make when you want something a little more dramatic than the classic, with all the same effortless French elegance.


Le Soleil

Le Soleil

Ingredients:

  • 2 cl (about 3/4 oz) Ricard
  • 1 cl (about 1/3 oz) peach syrup
  • 10 to 15 cl (about 3.5 to 5 oz) cold still water
  • Ice cubes
  • Thin peach slice, for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Combine Ricard and peach syrup in a tall glass.
  2. Add ice.
  3. Pour in cold water slowly.
  4. Garnish with a delicate peach slice draped over the rim.

Le Soleil means “the sun,” and this Ricard cocktail is nothing short of radiant. The peach syrup brings a lush, stone-fruit sweetness that complements the herbal warmth of the pastis in the most unexpected, delightful way. The drink takes on a soft amber-gold color, catching light like honey in sunlight. It is floral, gentle, and slightly indulgent, a Ricard cocktail that feels especially perfect at a midsummer garden party. Pair it with a charcuterie board and let the afternoon drift by.


La Limonette

La Limonette

Ingredients:

  • 2 cl (about 3/4 oz) Ricard
  • 15 cl (about 5 oz) chilled lemonade (sparkling or still)
  • Juice of 1/4 lemon
  • 2 lemon slices
  • Ice cubes

Instructions:

  1. Fill a tall glass with ice.
  2. Pour in the Ricard.
  3. Squeeze in the fresh lemon juice.
  4. Top with chilled lemonade.
  5. Stir gently and drop in the lemon slices.

La Limonette breaks slightly from the traditional water-only formula and replaces it with lemonade, making this Ricard cocktail one of the most refreshing, crowd-pleasing variations in the canon. The citrus brightness crackles against the licorice depth of the Ricard, creating something that feels both familiar and surprising. The drink shimmers with tiny bubbles if you use sparkling lemonade, and the lemon slices make it look effortlessly chic. This one is for the long, golden afternoons that stretch toward evening and refuse to end.


Le Goudron (Ricard and Cola)

Le Goudron (Ricard and Cola)

Ingredients:

  • 2 cl (about 3/4 oz) Ricard
  • 15 cl (about 5 oz) cola
  • Ice cubes
  • Slice of lemon or orange, for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Fill a tall glass with ice cubes.
  2. Pour the Ricard over the ice.
  3. Top with cold cola and stir gently.
  4. Add a citrus slice to the rim.

Le Goudron, meaning “tar” in French, is one of the more unconventional Ricard cocktail pairings, but do not let the peculiar name put you off. The caramel depth and sweetness of the cola meets the sharp anise of Ricard in a surprisingly harmonious way, creating something dark, bubbly, and slightly mysterious. The drink is a deep brown with flashes of foam and the subtle tang of licorice running through every sip. It is the most casual Ricard cocktail on this list, perfect for a barbecue or a Friday evening when you want something unexpected but deeply easy to drink.


Pastis Spritz

Pastis Spritz

Ingredients:

  • 3 cl (about 1 oz) Ricard
  • 10 cl (about 3.5 oz) Prosecco, well chilled
  • 5 cl (about 1.7 oz) sparkling water
  • Large ice cube or ice sphere
  • Thin lemon twist and a sprig of fresh thyme, for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Fill a large wine glass or balloon glass with ice.
  2. Pour in the Ricard.
  3. Add the Prosecco gently, tilting the glass to preserve the bubbles.
  4. Top with a splash of sparkling water.
  5. Express a lemon twist over the glass and drop it in.
  6. Lay a sprig of fresh thyme across the rim.

This is the Ricard cocktail you serve to guests who think they only like Aperol Spritzes. The Prosecco softens the pastis’s bold anise character while the carbonation lifts its herbal aromatics into the air so beautifully that people across the room will turn and ask what you are drinking. The drink is pale gold with persistent, lacy bubbles, and the thyme garnish adds a romantic, slightly rustic Provençal touch. It is sophisticated without trying too hard, which is, frankly, the whole vibe.


The French Pearl

The French Pearl

Ingredients:

  • 6 cl (about 2 oz) London Dry gin
  • 2 cl (about 3/4 oz) fresh lime juice
  • 1.5 cl (about 1/2 oz) simple syrup
  • 1 cl (about 1/3 oz) Ricard
  • 8 to 10 fresh mint leaves
  • Ice cubes
  • Lime wheel and a mint sprig, for garnish

Instructions:

  1. In a cocktail shaker, gently muddle the mint leaves with the simple syrup.
  2. Add gin, lime juice, Ricard, and ice.
  3. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds.
  4. Double-strain into a chilled coupe glass.
  5. Garnish with a lime wheel and a delicate sprig of mint.

The French Pearl was created by the legendary New York bartender Audrey Saunders in 2006 at the Pegu Club, crafted as a tribute to nineteenth-century French style and the era’s love affair with anise liqueurs. It is essentially a pastis-kissed gin cocktail, and it is one of the most elegantly balanced modern Ricard cocktail recipes in existence. The drink is a clear, shimmering pale jade in the glass, with a mint-forward aroma that gives way to a complex wave of citrus, botanicals, and anise on the palate. It is the cocktail equivalent of a beautiful French film: effortlessly cool and deeply satisfying.


Ricard Sazerac

Ricard Sazerac

Ingredients:

  • 6 cl (about 2 oz) cognac or rye whiskey
  • 1 cl (about 1/3 oz) Ricard (for rinsing)
  • 2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
  • 1 sugar cube
  • Ice cubes
  • Lemon peel, for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Chill two small rocks glasses.
  2. In the first glass, add the Ricard and swirl it to coat the interior entirely. Discard the excess.
  3. In the second glass, muddle the sugar cube with the bitters.
  4. Add the cognac and ice, and stir for 30 seconds.
  5. Strain the contents into the Ricard-coated glass.
  6. Express the lemon peel over the surface and place it on the rim.
  7. Serve with no ice.

The Sazerac is one of the oldest cocktails in American history, born in New Orleans and traditionally made with absinthe as the glass rinse. Using Ricard in its place creates a softer, sweeter version of this Ricard cocktail classic that lets the cognac’s warmth shine while the anise whispers quietly from the sides of the glass. The drink is a deep, burnished amber, its surface catching the light like polished mahogany. The aroma of lemon and pastis together is genuinely intoxicating. This is the Ricard cocktail to make when the evening calls for something serious and deeply, deeply pleasurable.


Marseille Mule

Marseille Mule

Ingredients:

  • 4 cl (about 1.5 oz) Ricard
  • 2 cl (about 3/4 oz) fresh lime juice
  • 12 cl (about 4 oz) ginger beer, chilled
  • Ice cubes
  • Lime wedge and a thin slice of fresh ginger, for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Fill a copper mule mug or tall glass with ice.
  2. Pour in the Ricard followed by the fresh lime juice.
  3. Top with chilled ginger beer and stir gently.
  4. Garnish with a lime wedge and a slice of fresh ginger tucked alongside it.

The Moscow Mule gets a French Riviera makeover in this radiant Ricard cocktail. The spicy warmth of the ginger beer is a genuinely inspired match for Ricard’s licorice character: they push against each other in the most exciting way, while the fresh lime juice adds a tart brightness that keeps everything feeling lively and clean. The drink is pale and slightly hazy in the glass, with streams of ginger-beer bubbles rising through it like tiny golden stars. It is bold, fizzy, and slightly wild, perfect for the kind of night that starts at 7 p.m. and ends at midnight.


Ricard Mojito

Ricard Mojito

Ingredients:

  • 4 cl (about 1.5 oz) Ricard
  • 2 cl (about 3/4 oz) fresh lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons superfine sugar (or simple syrup)
  • 12 to 14 fresh mint leaves
  • Crushed ice
  • Sparkling water to top
  • Fresh mint bouquet and lime wheel, for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Place the mint leaves in the bottom of a tall glass.
  2. Add the lime juice and sugar.
  3. Gently muddle the mint, pressing just enough to release the oils without tearing the leaves.
  4. Fill the glass with crushed ice.
  5. Pour in the Ricard and stir from the bottom up.
  6. Top with sparkling water and stir once more.
  7. Crown with a generous bouquet of fresh mint and a lime wheel.

Bartender Audrey Saunders also applied her genius to a pastis-forward take on the Mojito, and the result is a Ricard cocktail that is nothing short of revelatory. The combination of anise, mint, and lime sounds like it might clash, but it sings. The anise and mint have a natural affinity that makes every sip feel cooling and complex at once. The glass is a beautiful pale jade-green, packed with crushed ice and bursting with mint greenery. It is a drink that looks like it was made specifically for Instagram, and tastes even better than it looks.


Ricard Sour

Ricard Sour

Ingredients:

  • 4 cl (about 1.5 oz) Ricard
  • 2 cl (about 3/4 oz) fresh lemon juice
  • 1.5 cl (about 1/2 oz) simple syrup
  • 1 egg white (or 2 cl aquafaba for a vegan version)
  • Ice cubes
  • Angostura bitters and a lemon twist, for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Combine Ricard, lemon juice, simple syrup, and egg white in a cocktail shaker.
  2. Dry-shake (without ice) vigorously for 15 seconds to emulsify the egg white.
  3. Add ice and shake again for another 15 seconds.
  4. Double-strain into a chilled coupe or rocks glass.
  5. Drop a few dashes of Angostura bitters onto the foam and use a toothpick to create a decorative swirl.
  6. Add a lemon twist on the side.

This is the Ricard cocktail for people who love the sophisticated tension of a well-made sour. The citrus sharpness cuts through the sweetness of the pastis, while the egg white creates a thick, silky foam on top that is almost too beautiful to disturb. The drink is pale gold beneath its cloud of white foam, and the bitters swirled on top add a visual drama that looks completely professional. The flavour is bright, tart, and warmly anise-kissed, with a finish that lingers elegantly. Serve it at the start of a dinner party and your guests will be deeply impressed.


Mediterranean Sunset

Mediterranean Sunset

Ingredients:

  • 3 cl (about 1 oz) Ricard
  • 6 cl (about 2 oz) fresh orange juice
  • 2 cl (about 3/4 oz) grenadine
  • Ice cubes
  • Orange half-wheel and a cocktail cherry, for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Fill a rocks glass or a wide tumbler with ice.
  2. Pour the Ricard over the ice.
  3. Add the fresh orange juice and stir gently.
  4. Very slowly pour the grenadine over the back of a spoon, allowing it to sink to the bottom and create a gradient effect.
  5. Do not stir after adding the grenadine.
  6. Garnish with an orange half-wheel and a cherry.

This Ricard cocktail is an absolute showstopper and requires almost no skill to pull off beautifully. The grenadine sinks through the orange and pastis blend to create a breathtaking gradient from deep scarlet at the base through orange to a misty pale gold at the top, like watching the sun slip below the horizon over the sea. The flavour is fruity and sweet with an anise undertone, and it is accessible enough to win over anyone who claims to dislike pastis. Serve it without explanation and let people marvel at the colour first.


Watermelon Ricard

Watermelon Ricard

Ingredients:

  • 4 cl (about 1.5 oz) Ricard
  • 8 cl (about 2.7 oz) fresh watermelon juice
  • 1 cl (about 1/3 oz) fresh lime juice
  • Ice cubes (crushed preferred)
  • Small watermelon wedge and a few drops of Ricard floated on top, for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Juice fresh watermelon by blending and straining through a fine sieve.
  2. Combine the Ricard, watermelon juice, and lime juice in a shaker with ice.
  3. Shake for 12 seconds and strain over crushed ice in a rocks glass.
  4. Float a few extra drops of Ricard on the surface.
  5. Balance a small watermelon wedge on the rim.

This is arguably the most Instagrammable Ricard cocktail on this list, and also one of the most genuinely delicious. The watermelon juice turns the drink a vivid, saturated pink, and the pastis transforms the texture into something almost dreamy and opalescent, especially if you use freshly pressed juice. The anise plays against the watermelon’s sweetness in a way that is genuinely surprising: the two flavors should not work together as well as they do, and yet every sip feels like a revelation. This is peak summer in a glass.


Death in the Afternoon

Death in the Afternoon

Ingredients:

  • 2 cl (about 3/4 oz) Ricard
  • 10 cl (about 3.5 oz) chilled Champagne or dry sparkling wine
  • Lemon twist, for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Pour the Ricard into a chilled Champagne flute.
  2. Slowly top with very cold Champagne, pouring gently to preserve the bubbles.
  3. Watch as the cocktail turns a soft, milky gold.
  4. Garnish with a lemon twist if desired, though the drink is perfectly lovely without one.

This Ricard cocktail is credited to Ernest Hemingway himself, who reportedly contributed the recipe to “So Red the Nose, or Breath in the Afternoon,” a 1935 celebrity cocktail book. His instruction was simply to drink three to five of them slowly. The combination of pastis and Champagne is more sophisticated than it sounds: the bubbles lift the anise character into something ethereal and the dry wine tempers any sweetness, creating a cocktail that feels celebratory, literary, and a little bit dangerous. The drink glows like candlelight in the flute. It is the Ricard cocktail for toasts, for declarations, and for the kind of evenings that deserve to be remembered.


Ricard Coconut Lemonade

Ricard Coconut Lemonade

Ingredients:

  • 3 cl (about 1 oz) Ricard
  • 6 cl (about 2 oz) coconut milk (full-fat, well-shaken)
  • 4 cl (about 1.5 oz) freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1.5 cl (about 1/2 oz) honey syrup (equal parts honey and hot water, cooled)
  • Crushed ice
  • Toasted coconut flakes and a lemon wheel, for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Combine Ricard, coconut milk, lemon juice, and honey syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice.
  2. Shake firmly for 15 seconds.
  3. Strain over a tall glass packed with crushed ice.
  4. Garnish with toasted coconut flakes scattered over the top and a lemon wheel.

Inspired by the brilliant pairing of dairy and licorice that Parisian bartenders have been exploring in recent years (the fat in coconut milk mirrors the way cream softens pastis’s bold edges in traditional southern French pastries), this Ricard cocktail is creamy, tropical, tart, and completely unexpected. The coconut milk turns the drink a hazy, dreamy white and tames the anise into something gentle and almost dessert-like. The lemon keeps it from tipping into sweetness. It is lush, exotic, and completely unlike anything else on this list. Serve it as a pre-dessert cocktail and prepare for requests.


Tips for Making the Perfect Ricard Cocktail Every Time

The most important rule when making any Ricard cocktail is to always pour the Ricard first, before adding ice or water. This allows you to gauge the amount correctly and, when water-based drinks are involved, to observe the full louche effect as the dilution happens. Cold water is always preferable to room-temperature water, as it preserves the refreshing quality of the anise. Ice should be added last in the traditional French café recipes (Mauresque, Perroquet, Tomate) to ensure the Ricard and syrup mix properly before dilution.

For the best results in mixed cocktails like the Sour, the Mule, or the Spritz, keep your Ricard bottle at room temperature and your mixers well-chilled. The contrast of temperatures is part of what makes these drinks so lively on the palate. When it comes to glassware, a tall, narrow glass is traditional for classic Ricard and water, while coupes and balloon glasses elevate the more sophisticated preparations. And always, always have good quality ice. In drinks this simple and delicious, every element counts.


Final Thoughts

The Ricard cocktail is one of the great pleasures of the drinking world, and it deserves far more attention outside France than it currently receives. Whether you reach for the timeless simplicity of Ricard and water, the joyful colour of Le Perroquet, the elegant drama of a Ricard Sazerac, or the showstopping beauty of a Mediterranean Sunset, you are tapping into nearly a century of Provençal culture, creativity, and the very French art of making life more beautiful, one glass at a time.

Now pour yourself something golden, find a sunny spot, and sip slowly. Paul Ricard would absolutely approve.