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Little Orphan Anise
Published on: September 29, 2008by Dylan Southard
I will be the first to admit that I have always been a little trepidatious around Sambuca. This is because Sambuca is anise flavored. Anise is the plant used in flavoring black licorice and I hate black licorice. I hate the taste of it. I hate the smell of it. It literally makes me shudder. But I don’t like to live in fear so I decided that for this installment of Bartender's Buzz, I would conquer this aversion to Sambuca using two ingredients that I love dearly: cognac and coffee (in bean form).
After first tasting Sambuca, I realized that its most noticeable quality is not what it tastes like, but the strength and sheer force of that taste. Sambuca all but attacks you when you drink it. Not only do you get that unmistakable anise flavor, but you are also assaulted with a whole bouquet of floral tastes and smells. And Sambuca is sweet. Sticky sweet. So the goal here is to temper this aggressiveness of this liqueur and add a measure of subtlety to your drink. This is where the cognac comes in. While just as complex as Sambuca, cognac is far earthier and so it pairs nicely. It cuts down on Sambuca's sweetness while still allowing the floral flavors to carry through.
As for the coffee beans, their effectiveness in the drink can vary. Coffee and Sambuca have a long history together, and I find that the aroma of the beans in particular adds something to the drinking experience. Braver drinkers than I might try going with the Italian tradition of briefly lighting the drink on fire in order to "roast" the beans and infuse the drink with their flavor. Just as important as the taste of the beans is the aesthetic pleasure they offer. Sambuca is an exotic liqueur and the addition of the coffee beans makes the drink look just as exotic. Remember everyone; you cannot underestimate the importance of presentation. And you can always bite into one of those sambuca-and-cognac-infused coffee beans when you're done for a quick pick-me-up. So, has this drink changed my feelings towards sambuca? I would say it has.
I no longer fear the thought of Sambuca and for those looking for something a little off the beaten path, I would heartily recommend it!
Little Orphan Anise Ingredients:
Serves one
2 ounces of Sambuca
1 ounce of cognac
4-6 coffee beans
Directions:
Serve over ice in a wine glass or snifter and sip slowly ...