Aniseed
With the ban on absinthe at the beginning of the 20th century, aniseed spirits were also banned in France, as they were quite similar to absinthe. Nobody tried to lift the ban on absinthe, but the demand for something similar - an aniseed or pastis - was probably so great that in 1922 the French legislature decided to lift the ban on aniseed spirits. Up until 1951, alcohol strength was regulated at various levels. Since that time, aniseed spirits in France have been allowed to contain a maximum of 45% vol. alcohol contain. The origin of the term pastis can be translated as satire or imitation. A clear indication that one did not actually want to do without absinthe.
In terms of quality, one can distinguish between the industrial products made from synthetic oils, sugar and coloring and the products distilled artisanal from green aniseed. Star anise (Illicium Verum) is mostly unpopular in Germany because it contains significantly more anetholes and is not as elegant as green anise (Pimpinella anisum).