Absinthe is a yellowish-green Swiss liqueur made from angelica root, aniseed, fennel, hyssop, liquorice, star aniseed and wormwood. Its taste is a combination of anise and bitter. There are many different brands. Most are green, but some are clear. The green coloration earned it its nickname, “la fée verte” (the green fairy.) A Genuine Absinthe…
Anise Liqueurs
Anesone
Anesone is a clear liqueur with the flavour of anise. It is 45 proof, and stronger in taste, and drier than, Anisette. Made from anise seeds. Language Notes “-one” in Italian means big, signifying that this has more alcohol than the liqueur called Anisette.
Anisette
Anisette is a type of liqueur flavoured with aniseed to give it a liquorice taste, along with other herbs to balance out the taste. It is sweet, and usually clear. There are many brands. Absinthe was the classic Anisette. Though it’s making a comeback, it was largely replaced by Pastis. Home versions are made from…
Herbsaint Liqueur
Herbsaint Liqueur is an anise-flavoured American-made version of pastis. It is made in New Orleans by Legendre Distilleries. It is a clear greenish-amber colour that you can see through, though it turns cloudy in water. It is not as sweet as Pernod. It is made by the Sazerac company. The company officially refers to it…
Pastis
Pastis © Denzil Green Pastis is a generic name for a type of anise-flavoured liqueur made in France. Though it is drunk throughout France, the strongest association is with area of Provence. It is generally quite sweet, though a few brands are unsweetened so you can sweeten them yourself. There are brands such as Boyer,…
Sambuca
Sambuca is an anise-flavoured liqueur. Popular brands are Galliano, Luxardo, Molinari, Opal Nera, Romana, and Sambuca di Amore. The alcohol content varies from 38 to 42% alcohol, depending on the brand and variety. The main ingredients are oil and blossoms from the Witch Elder (aka ‘Sambuca Nigra’) bush, and anise seeds. Some brands, such as…