Sambuca is an Italian spice liqueur, where the main flavor is anise, which is obtained from star anise. Sambuca was developed by Angelo Molinari in 1945. Angelo ran a coffee bar in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 1930, but after World War II he moved back to his birthplace in Civitavecchia. In Italy, he founded a company and began producing liqueurs. Sambuca remained the company’s only product for a long time, and it was not until 2003 that Molinari also released a coffee liqueur. In the production of Sambuca, star anise is dissolved in water, after which the solution is distilled and the aromatic oils are collected. This is mixed with neutral alcohol, herbs, water and sugar syrup are added. Sambuca is also produced in Italy by many other companies and its production is regulated by the authorities. Among other things, the alcohol content of Sambuca must be at least 38%. Molinari’s turnover is 70 million euros and their Sambuca is sold in over 85 countries. A 70cl bottle cost €18.90.

In the glass, the sambuca is colorless, but clearly thick, meaning there is a fair amount of sugar. The smell is full of anise, with licorice and hints of other herbs in the background. The mouthfeel is thick, even syrupy. The taste is very sweet and anise dominates the taste, as you might expect. The alcohol also comes through from behind and it cuts the sweetness effectively. The alcohol content is at a good level here, with less alcohol it would probably be undrinkable sweet. After the initial shock, the drink is surprisingly balanced and you can sip a small glass also neat. It is especially good after a hearty meal, as star anise is said to be a good digestive aid. As ouzo drinkers have already learned, adding water to the glass turns the drink cloudy, almost like skimmed milk. This is a chemical phenomenon caused by the anise oils, which I will not go into in more detail here. When diluted with water, the drink is very tasty, suitably sweet and the anise flavor is no longer so pungent. The product made by Molinari is the first sambuca I have tasted, so I cannot compare it to other similar products. Compared to other liqueurs, the taste of sambuca is rather one-sided, the anise flavor is so dominant. You should be very careful when dosing sambuca in cocktails, even in small quantities brings a decent anise aroma on it. 

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