Marie Brizard Anisette 750ML

Marie Brizard Anisette 750ML is a French anise liqueur bottled at 25% ABV, made from green anise and 11 botanicals using a recipe dating to 1755. This expression earned a Double Gold Medal at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and holds an 88-point rating from Wine Enthusiast — strong recognition for one of the oldest continuously produced liqueurs in France.

Quick Facts: ABV: 25%  |  Origin: Bordeaux, France  |  Style: Anise Liqueur  |  Distillery: Marie Brizard (est. 1755)

Production & Heritage

Marie Brizard was founded in 1755 in Bordeaux, France, making it one of the oldest liqueur producers in the world. The Anisette is produced through carefully controlled maceration and distillation of green anise sourced from the Mediterranean, combined with a proprietary blend of eleven plants and spices. The recipe has remained unchanged across generations, passed down in secret — a distinction that separates it from more modern anise-flavored spirits that rely on fewer botanical ingredients or synthetic flavoring.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Sweet anise dominates the nose immediately, followed by subtle herbal undertones and a gentle spice warmth. The aromatics are clean and inviting without being aggressive.

Taste: The entry is smooth and notably velvety, with rich anise flavor spreading quickly across the palate. At mid-palate, herbal complexity emerges alongside a pronounced sweetness. The texture is extremely viscous and palate-coating, delivering a bold licorice candy character that builds without becoming cloying.

Finish: Long and elegant, with lingering warmth and refined smoothness. The anise sweetness slowly fades, leaving behind a clean herbal echo.

How to Drink Marie Brizard Anisette

Traditionally served chilled or over ice, which causes the liquid to louche — turning from crystal-clear to a milky opalescence as the anise oils react with cold water. Adding a splash of cold water is the classic French serve and opens up the herbal complexity. In cocktails, the Anisette's sweetness and viscosity make it a versatile modifier: try it in a Suissesse, a New Orleans classic where its anise richness pairs with cream and egg white; a Chrysanthemum, where it adds herbal depth alongside dry vermouth and Bénédictine; or a Tiger's Milk, a Peruvian-inspired punch where the anise rounds out citrus and brandy.

Best For

• Building a classic cocktail bar with essential French liqueurs
• After-dinner digestif service at a dinner party
• Gifting someone who enjoys Mediterranean or French spirits traditions
• Exploring anise-flavored spirits beyond pastis and sambuca

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Marie Brizard Anisette taste like? It delivers bold, sweet anise flavor with an extremely viscous, palate-coating texture reminiscent of licorice candy, supported by subtle herbal and spice complexity from its eleven-botanical recipe.

How does Marie Brizard Anisette compare to Pernod? Pernod is a higher-proof anise spirit (typically 40% ABV) with a drier, more herbaceous profile, while Marie Brizard Anisette sits at 25% ABV and leans sweeter and more viscous. The two occupy different roles behind the bar — Pernod as a pastis-style spirit and Marie Brizard as a true liqueur.

Is Marie Brizard Anisette good for cocktails? Its lower proof, pronounced sweetness, and thick body make it an excellent cocktail modifier, particularly in classic recipes like the Suissesse and Chrysanthemum where a sweet anise component is called for.

Where is Marie Brizard Anisette made? It is produced by the Marie Brizard distillery in Bordeaux, France, a house founded in 1755 that has been making this specific Anisette from Mediterranean green anise and botanicals for over 265 years.

What foods pair well with Marie Brizard Anisette? Almond biscotti and anise cookies amplify its herbal sweetness. Dark chocolate truffles balance its viscosity with bitter cocoa notes. Fresh figs or dates complement its Mediterranean character. Grilled seafood, especially prawns with fennel, echoes the anise theme. Blue cheese provides a savory counterpoint to the liqueur's sweetness.

What sizes does Marie Brizard Anisette come in? The standard bottle is 750ml, which is the most widely available format.

Is Marie Brizard Anisette worth the price? It positions as an accessible, entry-level liqueur with heritage credentials that far exceed its price tier — a Double Gold Medal at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and an 88-point Wine Enthusiast score represent unusual critical recognition for a spirit in this value range.

Why Marie Brizard Anisette?

Few liqueurs in any category can claim an unbroken production history stretching back to 1755, and fewer still can back that heritage with contemporary competition results like a 2025 SFWSC Double Gold. The eleven-botanical recipe gives this Anisette a layered complexity that single-note anise spirits simply cannot match. At 25% ABV, it occupies a useful niche — sweet enough to serve as a standalone digestif, complex enough to elevate cocktails, and gentle enough for drinkers who find higher-proof anise spirits too aggressive. In a category dominated by pastis and sambuca, Marie Brizard Anisette remains the benchmark for traditional French anisette.