What is a sambuca, and how is it drunk?

Sambuca is an Italian national drink, which is a colorless (most often) liquor with anise flavor. The most common species is often called white sambuca to distinguish it from other varieties - bright blue or red.

Sambuca is made with the addition of essential oils derived from anise, badjan, liquorice and other spices. These oils are added in pure form along with a concentrated solution of sugar and other flavoring fillers. The standard strength of this drink is 42% alcohol.

History

Speaking of what a sambuka is, many people can not unequivocally trace the history of its occurrence. One version says that this name comes from the Arabic word "Zammut". This was the name for the drink with anise flavor, which was delivered to the ports of Italy on ships coming from the East. In turn, the Oxford English Dictionary states that the term comes from the Latin notation of the word "elder". Also, according to historical information, in Greece sambuca was called the elderberry liqueur, which was produced about 130 years ago.

Continuing the historical information about what a sambuka is, it is worth noting that the first commercial version of this drink began to be produced in the end of 1800 in the city of Civitavecchia. In 1945, shortly after the end of World War II, the entrepreneur Angelo Molinari began to produce Sambuca Extra Molinari, which helped popularize this drink throughout Italy.

How to drink?

The alcoholic drink of the sambuca, as a rule, is served in an aesthetic form. It can also be fed with ice or diluted water, resulting in an interesting visual effect. Widely distributed is a type of feed, like con mosca, in which three coffee beans are thrown into a glass in which a sambuca is poured (photo - a beverage with coffee beans - is presented below).

The liquor, presented in this way, symbolizes the wish for well-being, health and happiness, or the Holy Trinity (according to the Italian tradition). In addition, the sambuca is traditionally added to coffee - both for flavor, and instead of sugar. It is also used in its pure form - small glasses as an aperitif.

In addition, mentioning that such a sambuka, many immediately recall club alcoholic cocktails with fire. This is also a common way of drinking this drink - the liqueur is ignited for a short time, then you should extinguish the flame and quickly drink the liquid. Hot cocktails are also made from several types of alcohol of different strengths, poured into the glass by layers. In this case, the sambuca will be at the bottom, as a thicker and heavier drink.

A more original way of drinking sambuki is also common. First, the liqueur is poured into the glass and ignited, and then quickly poured into another container. The first glass should be turned and placed on a saucer. Then, after consuming a warm sambuki, you should put the tube in the napkin between the saucer and the first glass and inhale the accumulated air. In a cold form, the liqueur is well combined with milk, but not in the form of a cocktail, and individually - a sip of alcohol, and then a sip of milk.

Summarizing and trying to fully answer the question "what is sambuca," you can say that this anise is a strong liqueur of Italian origin, which can be drunk in various ways.