The Greek spirit flavored with anise and often diluted with water is ouzo. It is a dry, anise-forward aperitif widely associated with Greece and Cyprus, and it is traditionally enjoyed slowly alongside small shared dishes called meze.
Ouzo begins with rectified spirit that is flavored and distilled with anise. Producers may also use ingredients such as star anise, fennel, mastic, cardamom, coriander, cloves, or cinnamon, with individual recipes kept as proprietary blends. The finished spirit is usually bottled at roughly 40.5% alcohol by volume or higher.
Adding water or ice causes ouzo to turn cloudy white, sometimes with a faint blue tint. This is the “ouzo effect,” or louche, caused by anethole, the anise oil that dissolves in alcohol but separates when the drink is diluted with water. The tiny droplets scatter light and create the milky appearance.
Ouzo is sometimes confused with pastis, sambuca, or raki because they are also anise-flavored spirits. Their origins and production rules differ: pastis is French, sambuca is Italian, and raki is traditionally associated with Turkey and other parts of the eastern Mediterranean.