the best pastis in the world is… Norman!

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Caen (Calvados), has a fortress and its ramparts. What if the Norman city was becoming the new stronghold of pastis? In Florent’s cellar, we find calvados and a new aniseVerger pastis. And at the tasting? “It’s quite floral, very light. All of Normandy in a little pastis”, two customers rejoice.

Not so “small” the Verger pastis: it is the best in the world, crowned during the summer of 2025 in London (United Kingdom) by an international jury. The apple-based recipe was developed by Julie Le Roux and David Granville. The fruits are harvested in an orchard in the heart of the Pays d’Auge. Here, we don’t harm the trees. We only collect the fruit that has fallen to the ground. “For us, it’s really about having apples that have fallen naturally, at optimal ripeness and with optimal flavor and sugar levels through this operation.“, explains Mathieu Landrin, head of culture at Château du Breuil.

The apples, saturated with sugar, will produce cider brandy. Distilled star anise is added, then a cocktail of spices such as bergamot or cinnamon.

Since the worldwide recognition, sales have tripled: 10,000 bottles for this vintage. “This pastis, I think that it obtained the medal in particular thanks to the presence of this cider eau-de-vie that we sourced in the Pays d’Auge, at Château du Breuil, and which allows us to have a truly unique recipe”, indicates Julie Le Roux, the co-founder of the “C’est Nous” distillery in Colombelles (Calvados). In France, we drink three times less anise than 30 years ago. This one reinvents a great classic, with a very light touch of apple on the palate and no added sugar.