Toward the end of the Twenties, a young 23-year-old salesman, son of a wine-merchant, gets ahold of the idea and, inspired, he commercializes an anis-based aperitif under his own name. Flying in the face of the authorities,Paul Ricard widely distributes this forbidden drink. He is constantly fined by police and customs-agents. After a lot of intense lobbying, he succeeds in obtaining in 1932, the right to make and sell the drink. The fines are transformed into taxes. Paul RICARD will be obliged to find a name for his drink and to define its composition. His recipe enters the public domain and will be called «PASTIS» from the Provencal «pastisson» and the Italian «pasticcio», synonym of blend or mixture. PASTIS is officially born. Paul RICARD will have a 3-year-start on his competitor and a tremendous success.
In 1936, the first French paid holidays definitively popularize PASTIS, and it becomes the most popular aperitif in France. And, finally, in 1938, RICARD obtains the right to sell it at 45° instead of merely 40°. Duringsecond World War, alcoholic drinks of over 16° are again forbidden. Only in 1951 will PASTIS and all other strong alcoholic drinks be re-allowed. PERNOD counter-attack and brings out his 51, which he calls «PASTIS DE MARSEILLE». War has begun betweenthe two producers, and continues until 1974 when the directors of the two companies agree to combine. The Pernod Ricard group will go on to its well-known success and growth. In spite of the birth of a multitude of little PASTIS drinks, Pernod-Ricard will have a lock on the market in terms of volume. All the surviving ABSINTHE distilleries will bring out their anis-based drinks, with at the top of the list the famous «PONT» of PONTARLIER in the French Jura, a distilled green anis.
