A colourless liqueur not to be confused with its French counterpart ‘pastis’ which is made from star anise as opposed to aniseed and has a slight yellow-brown tinge. Both were created as a response to the prohibition of absinthe in France around 1915. At that time, Absinthe producers were eager to create a drink that resembled the flavours and aromas of Absinthe, but without the wormwood, which was the cause of its being banned due to its supposed hallucinogenic effects.
Anisette is sweeter than most anise-flavoured liqueurs such as the above mentioned. It also contains a lower alcohol content, usually around 25% versus the 40% +ABV.
Popular in many countries in Europe, such as Italy, Portugal and Spain, it’s created by grinding more than a dozen different types of seed into a neutral spirit, which is then combined with a syrup and distilled until 25% alcohol has been reached.