# Sambuca, anyone? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** liquor-alcohol\ **Created:** [January 30, 2025, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sambuca-anyone/1013607 "2025-01-30T06:37:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![epbrown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47774/32.png) [@epbrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sambuca-anyone/1013607/1 "2025-01-30T06:37:11Z")
Does anyone like Sambuca, or know of good-tasting drinks that can be made with it? I like Amaretto and someone gifted me a bottle packaged with a bottle of Sambuca from the same company. For anyone that hasn’t tried is, it taste like black jellybeans with alcohol. I’ve often thought that as a time traveler I’d leave tyrants alone and go looking for the person that came up with the flavor for black jellybeans, and this beverage further cements the conviction that they must be stopped. Is there anything tasty to be made with this, or should I head to skid row and abandon the bottle with a form apology and a package of Tic-Tacs? ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sambuca-anyone/1013607/2 "2025-01-30T06:42:56Z")
Personally (so, speaking only for myself), I hate it (and Ouzo). I can’t stand licorice taste. YMMV but I will say it is usually a love or hate thing with (in my experience) most people not liking it. Clearly there are plenty who do like it though. Anything you’d think licorice would go with would probably be a good mix but mixology is an art so hard to say. For me, the licorice is always prominent so a hard no from me. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sambuca-anyone/1013607/3 "2025-01-30T06:49:36Z")
A Sazerac? The best part being when you treat the Sambuca like you’d treat the Vermouth in a Martini . . . pretending you’ve added any at all. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sambuca-anyone/1013607/4 "2025-01-30T07:50:24Z")
Dunno if this is helpful, but here goes: years ago, I read a vignette in one of Donald Westlake’s Dortmunder novels. In the throwaway scene, two of the gang are sitting in the bar, waiting for a planning session to happen. One guy says: “You wanna see something cool?” He pours a shot of Sambuca, drops in a coffee bean (maybe an espresso bean), and lights the Sambuca on fire. As they watch the flame, the other guy asks what’s burning. The show-off say “The alcohol.” Then he realizes what he’s doing, blows out the flame, and drinks the liquor. So maybe use it to roast coffee beans one at a time. [Failing that, there’s this.](https://www.lovetoknow.com/food-drink/cocktails/sambuca-drink-recipes) (Link goes to a page with Sambuca-related cocktails) ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sambuca-anyone/1013607/5 "2025-01-30T10:57:18Z")
> [@epbrown](#): > > Does anyone like Sambuca Yes. I like flaming sambuccas, I like it with ice water, I like it in [coffee](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caff%C3%A8_corretto), and I like it in shooters like the Slippery Nipple and my own invention, the Amygdaloidal Basalt. I love anise flavour in general, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sambuca-anyone/1013607/6 "2025-01-30T12:09:51Z")
As the esteemed @MrDibble said. Sambuca is one of the very best flavors for a _digestif_. And unsurprisingly, licorice / anise is one of the best flavors for adult candy, not kiddie candy. That said, there are good and not-so-good sambucas. The largest-selling brands in the USA are DiSaronno and Romana. Both are grocery store trash, not fine liqueur. I certainly would not ruin a good sambuca by making a cocktail with it. That’s a flavor to be taken neat. YMMV of course, but the naysayers are simply wrong. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sambuca-anyone/1013607/7 "2025-01-30T12:50:01Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > my own invention, the Amygdaloidal Basalt You can’t just leave that hanging, MrDibble. Recipe? ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sambuca-anyone/1013607/8 "2025-01-30T12:57:52Z")
Half-fill a 60ml shot or port glass with Amarula creme liqueur. Take a small syringe with needle, and introduce small blebs of black sambucca, creme de menthe and coffee liqueur into the Amarula until the glass is full. Admire, then enjoy. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sambuca-anyone/1013607/9 "2025-01-30T13:07:55Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > a shot of Sambuca, drops in a coffee bean (maybe an espresso bean), and lights the Sambuca on fire The tandoori restaurant down the road from where I used to live, brought little glasses of flaming sambuca (with a coffee bean) at the end of the meal. I love the stuff. Anise is a superb flavour combo with pears - poached pear with a little flaming sambuca over it, is just heavenly. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sambuca-anyone/1013607/10 "2025-01-30T13:26:32Z")
NSFW, but here’s a novelty application that I learned about while tending bar in the Finger Lakes region of New York: > **[Aspen's Flaming Arse](https://www.skimag.com/uncategorized/aspens-flaming-arse/?scope=anon)** > > Vibe ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sambuca-anyone/1013607/11 "2025-01-30T13:27:21Z")
I like it, like Ouzo or anisette, with ice water, at about a 1:4 ratio alcohol:ice water. Of course, I do like licorice flavors. That helps. If you don’t like licorice, your time would better be spent finding another drink. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sambuca-anyone/1013607/12 "2025-01-30T13:27:29Z")
If you don’t like anise, there’s nothing good you can do with sambuca except give it to someone who does. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sambuca-anyone/1013607/13 "2025-01-30T14:57:06Z")
I like black jelly beans and I’m always tempted to get some sambuca or ouzo. But then I remember that a single sip of either is like eating a whole bag of black jelly beans. It would take a year to use up a bottle. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sambuca-anyone/1013607/14 "2025-01-30T15:52:28Z")
I love licorice, the stronger the better, but I don’t like Sambuca, It’s much too sweet for my taste. I also don’t like other licorice/anise flavored liquors like ouzo, raki or Pernod. The only licorice liquor I enjoy is [Kettenfett](https://kettenfett.net/#so-laeuft-das), literally “chain grease” because of the look, which tastes like licorice dissolved in a neutral clear liquor like vodka (you can actually do that at home, I’ve drunken home made licorice liquor and it tastes the same). ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sambuca-anyone/1013607/15 "2025-01-30T18:47:05Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > And unsurprisingly, licorice / anise is one of the best flavors for adult candy, not kiddie candy. I developed a taste for licorice fairly early, to complement my distaste for sharing my candy. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sambuca-anyone/1013607/16 "2025-01-30T19:31:42Z")
My wife and I used went through a bit of a Sambuca phase. Just shots. A very tasty alcohol delivery system. Of course, we also kept a bottle of Stoli in the freezer. And my poison of choice was straight gin on the rocks. All likely contributed to the reason I’ve been sober these past several years (20 years in April IIRC!) 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sambuca-anyone/1013607/17 "2025-01-30T21:41:31Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > The only licorice liquor I enjoy is [Kettenfett](https://kettenfett.net/#so-laeuft-das), literally “chain grease” because of the look, which tastes like licorice dissolved in a neutral clear liquor like vodka (you can actually do that at home, I’ve drunken home made licorice liquor and it tastes the same). Never heard of it, and now I want to try it. I found one online shop that has it, and I’ll keep an eye for it. Not suprised it’s from Köln. I have to agree with this statement: > [@Gorsnak](#): > > If you don’t like anise, there’s nothing good you can do with sambuca except give it to someone who does. I did find a recipe which combines absinthe and sambuca for twice the fun. I would try it, but I really like black liquorice. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sambuca-anyone/1013607/18 "2025-01-30T22:25:53Z")
This thread has good timing! I have a friend who loves him some oily (ie not _stale_) black licorice, preferably made outside the US. His 50th birthday is next month, and while I’ve gotten him a few presents, perhaps a bottle of sambuca would both be delicious and soften the blow. Could you guys recommend a bottle in the $20-40 range (US)? I may have to involve his sister due to difficulties in arranging out-of-state liquor delivery, but that’s not a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sambuca-anyone/1013607/19 "2025-01-30T22:43:40Z")
I used to particiate in “flaming Sambuca shots” back in my rowdier days with ‘the Crew’ (ca 2000-2003): 1. Take a swig, swish it around your mouth. 2. Open mouth, and have friend light the shot with a match. 3. Hold open mouth for fire breathing effect for as long as tolerable. 4. Close mouth to starve flames of oxygen, and extinguish flame. 5. Swallow warmed Sambuca, and bow to applause. Tripler Lighters are not recommended for use due to impractical angles. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2025, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sambuca-anyone/1013607/20 "2025-01-31T00:39:29Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > Could you guys recommend a bottle in the $20-40 range (US)? I may have to involve his sister due to difficulties in arranging out-of-state liquor delivery, but that’s not a problem. [Romana](https://www.sazerac.com/our-brands/sazerac-brands/romana-sambvca.html) is all we drank.