The Italian liqueur flavored with anise is Sambuca.
Sambuca is a sweet Italian anise-flavored liqueur, usually clear in its most familiar form. Its characteristic flavor comes from essential oils obtained primarily from star anise, though green anise may also be used. Other flavorings, including elderflower and licorice, can appear in recipes, but anise is the defining note.
The liqueur is legally bottled at a minimum of 38% alcohol by volume. White sambuca is the standard variety, while black sambuca is deep blue or nearly black and red sambuca has a vivid crimson color. When water is added, its anise oils can create a cloudy appearance known as the ouzo effect.
Sambuca is often served neat, over ice, or alongside coffee. A traditional serving includes three coffee beans representing health, happiness, and prosperity; one bean is sometimes called con la mosca, or “with the fly.” It may also be added to espresso as a caffè corretto.
Sambuca is not the same as grappa, which is distilled from grape pomace, or amaretto, whose signature flavor is almond-like rather than anise-like.