Closely related to Italian sambuca, Middle Eastern arak, Balkan and Turkish raki, and French pastis, ouzo is an anise-flavoured alcoholic spirit. As you’ll learn in this guide, it is made by steeping anise and other spices distilling it in a similar way to gin.
Although it has a strong heritage, ouzo was only recognised by the European Union as a protected designation of origin in 2006. This new appellation now ensures that only ouzo from Greece and Cyprus may use the name.
The story
Ouzo is said to have come from a story involving an Italian (or Ionian Island) trading company, which packaged a batch of exceptional quality tsipouro that was heavily scented with anise. The boxes were marked ‘uso Massalia’ (for use in Marseille, the destination), which became a ‘slogan’ for high-quality tsipouro flavoured with anise and was soon abbreviated. In time, ouzo was standardised as another, distinct drink.
Other, less probable, versions are that it comes from a corruption of the ancient Greek verb ozo (I smell) or – even more extreme – from ‘ou zo’ (I do not live – in other words, I can’t live without ouzo!).
Ouzo has its roots in tsipouro, which is said to have been the pet project of a group of 14th century monks living in a monastery on Mount Athos. Modern ouzo distillation largely took off in the beginning of the 19th century following Greek independence, with production centered on the island of Lesbos, which claims to be the originator of the drink and remains a major producer. When absinthe fell into disfavor in the early 20th century, ouzo was one of the products whose popularity rose to fill the gap; it was once called “a substitute for absinthe without the wormwood”. In 1932, ouzo producers developed a method of distillation using copper stills that is now the standard method of production.
It’s use
Home made remedies employing ouzo make the best of both the alcohol percentage (which is not very high) and the properties of the herbs used to flavor the drink, such as cinnamon, anise, rosemary, coriander, mastic and other herbs, mostly depending on the area where it is produced.
Ouzo can of course be used as a very good antiseptic given its alcohol levels. Headaches and the flu can be well treated with a warm ouzo beverage before going to bed. Most Greeks have already used ouzo at a young age when they suffered from a terrible toothache: that’s when grandmother would place a cloth dipped in ouzo on the aching tooth to alleviate the pain or instruct the child to wash their mouth with the bittersweet liquor.
According to the elder’s wisdom, you can rub your tight muscles or joints with ouzo or mix ouzo with honey and take a shot before menstruation pain begins. In the Macedonia region, in older times, people would take a woolen cloth, dip it into ouzo, set it ablaze for a minute, flat iron it and then place it on the patient’s stomach area. If your feet are swollen or simply hurt after a harsh day, rub them with lukewarm ouzo. Even in cases of asthma, Greeks would dip a woolen cloth in ouzo and red pepper and then place it on the chest.
How it’s made
96% alcohol is first distilled from either fermented grapes or grain, which is then steeped with star anise as well as other spices like fennel, cardamon, coriander, cloves, and cinnamon.
The resulting mixture is referred to as an “ouzo yeast” and is traditionally distilled a second time, which results in an 80% ABV spirit.
However, cheaper ouzo might be made by mixing the ouzo yeast with another neutral alcohol with added anise flavourings. To protect the industry, Greece introduced a regulation that forbids ouzo consisting of less than 20% ouzo yeast.
In southern Greece, the ouzo may be mildly sweetened with sugar whereas northern Greek ouzo is typically dry. The alcohol spirit is then hydrated to a minimum of 37.5% ABV.
Ouzo was first commercially produced in 1856 by Nikolaos Katsaros in Tyrnavos.
Like Turkish or Balkan raki, tsipouro is produced by distilling the leftover must of pressed wine grapes. It is often flavoured with anise but it can also be made without it. Although the way it’s made is completely different from modern ouzo, it’s often argued that the anise version has an almost identical taste.
Throughout its early history, ouzo was largely a local drink. However, its popularity exploded following international bans on absinthe in the early 20th century. Demand for substitute anise drinks skyrocketed and ouzo quickly became a favourite alongside sambuca since it was more accessible than raki or arak.
Because of its newfound popularity, traditional tsipouro started also being referred to as ouzo. There are a number of theories to the etymology of its name. A leading theory is that it’s derived from “uzum”, the Turkish word for “grapes”.
With the introduction of locally made pastis, demand for ouzo waned in France. Nevertheless, it has retained a cult status both in both Greece and abroad.
How to drink it
When consumed neat, ouzo can be somewhat strong and overpowering. Yet, it is almost always diluted with a bit of water.
Traditionally, ouzo is served in cafés called ouzeries alongside mezedes, which is similar to Spanish tapas that often consists of small seafood dishes. Most islands and coastal areas will serve ouzo alongside fish as its crisp flavour heightens the freshness.
It is often served neat and well-chilled abroad, but this is considered a faux pas in Greece. Instead, a sealed bottle of an appropriate size is placed on a table at room temperature. It’s not uncommon for ouzo bottles to be quite small if they will be shared by just a few people.
Guests are then expected to serve themselves a small amount in a long glass, add ice cubes, and then top it up with water from a nearby jug. The quantity of water added is a matter of personal preference. Some people will dilute it just until it louches whereas others may water it down even more.
Conversely, some experts claim that the water should be added before the ice cubes and that it shouldn’t be too cold. With this approach, the temperature is gradually reduced, which allows the aromas to release properly.
Why does ouzo turn cloudy
The essential oils of anise and fennel seed that create the classic liquorice aroma and taste are soluble in high-grade, neat ouzo. But when water or ice are added, the alcohol content drops and the essential oils come out of solution, reappearing as a white precipitate. As well as the colour change, the level of the aromas released increases, flooding the senses.
Just order grilled shrimps, fried “kalamarakia” (squid), stuffed peppers, “htapodaki” (octopus) with olive oil and lemon, any kind of small deep fried fish or tell the waitor to bring you a “pikilia” meaning variety in Greek, which is a combo platter with different meze in small portions and enjoy your favorite ouzo in greek style by the sea.
When drinking ouzo, the customary toast is “stin uyeia sou” (steen ee-YEE-ah soo), or “to your health!”