Mauresque Cocktail: Iconic French Cocktail
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Discover why drinking a Mauresque cocktail is one of the greatest joys of visiting Marseille. Then learn how to make the French cocktail at home.
A visit to Marseille would be incomplete without enjoying one or ten Mauresque cocktails. This is a city where locals and travelers drink the Provençal favorite while soaking in the sun at outdoor cafés from dawn to dusk.
We were no exception when we first visited the French port in 2016. We fell hard for the pastis cocktail while eating dinner with Marseille locals. How could we resist the tasty tipple that often cost us less than a chilled glass of Perrier?
As we later discovered, making a Mauresque at home is ridiculously effortless. In fact, the Mauresque cocktail is one of the world’s easiest cocktails, rivaling the classic G+T in its simplicity to craft.
But don’t let this pastis drink fool you based on its painless preparation. Not only does the Mauresque have a fascinating history, but the refreshing apéritif also possesses unique, transportive flavors of star anise and almond in every sweet sip.
What Is a Mauresque Cocktail?
We weren’t the first travelers to succumb to the deceptively innocent Mauresque, and we won’t be the last. Invented by the French and named after the Moors, this global cocktail’s history dates back to the 19th century.
One legend asserts that French soldiers, who imbibed absinthe to prevent malaria, originally crafted the cocktail with absinthe while serving in Africa. Another links the colorful name to white Moorish clothing since a mixed Mauresque is milky white.
Fun Fact
After flowing freely during the Belle Époque, absinthe was illegal to drink in France from 1915 to 2000 due to fears that it caused madness. Though those fears have abated, the green elixir’s modern iteration has a reduced level of thujone. Adventurous drinkers can order absinthe cocktails at bars in cities like Paris and San Francisco.
Unlike the Mauresque’s origin story, there’s no debate that the drink is wildly popular in the Côte d’Azur, where bartenders have replaced absinthe with pastis, the national drink of France. The best bartenders use Pastis de Marseille.
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Pastis de Marseille
Marseille’s pastis liqueur is intoxicating to those who adore anisette. With a minimum ABV of 45%, it’s also intoxicating to anyone who drinks the liquor to excess. As always, we recommend moderation.
Similar to ouzo in Greece and sambuca in Italy, Pastis de Marseille features star anise as a key ingredient. Licorice root and a mix of Provençal herbs add extra flavor. Unlike absinthe, green anise and wormwood aren’t in the mix.
Pro Tip
You can buy bottles of Pastis de Marseille at tourist shops in Marseille’s Old Port while strolling along the azure Mediterranean Sea. Drink them in your hotel room or save them as edible souvenirs.
Ingredients
Since the Mauresque’s ingredient list is so short, it’s important to use the best available products. In our recipe, we use Ricard Pastis de Marseille and Monin Orgeat.
Ingredient quantities are detailed in the printable recipe card below.
How to Craft a Mauresque Cocktail
The Mauresque cocktail is one of the easiest cocktails to make at home. However, don’t underestimate the drink’s complex flavor and alcoholic impact.
Be sure to add a healthy amount of water and a handful of ice to your homemade Mauresque cocktails. Water dilutes the alcohol level and creates a larger drink that’s sippable on a balcony, porch or other outdoor space.
Adding a star anise is purely decorative, but we find it provides a classy touch.
We recommend that you drink this pastis aperitif as if you’re in Marseille. Make it at the end of the day and enjoy it while you watch the sun set. Nibbles like salty olives and crunchy nuts complete the Mediterranean experience.
Try our Mauresque recipe a few times for ‘research’ purposes before you move on to other cocktails with pastis. You can modify the recipe by replacing orgeat with grenadine to create a Tomate cocktail. Or you can keep it simple with just water and ice for a more potent, less sweet pastis drink.
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Mauresque Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ ounces Pastis
- ¾ ounce orgeat syrup
- ice (one large cube or several small cubes)
- cold water
- 1 pod star anise (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Pour the pastis and orgeat almond syrup into a glass.
- Gently stir.
- Add ice.
- Top off the glass with cold water.
- Optional: Garnish with star anise.
Notes
- You can use a lowball glass, highball glass or goblet.
- You can adjust the drink’s potency by adding more or less water.
- Pair with olives and nuts.
Nutrition
💡 Frequently Asked Questions
The Mauresque was invented in France
Pastis, Orgeat, Cold Water and Ice
The Mauresque is stirred, not shaken.
We like to serve this cocktail in a highball glass, and you should do the same.
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