Ouzo
Clear in the bottle, milky white as soon as water is added. That's ouzo, the anise drink from Greece. Here you'll learn what it is, what causes the white effect, how to drink it and which glass to use.
Anise drinks with their own page
You'll find ouzo bottles further down under the varieties. These related drinks each have their own page on glazen.nl.
Sambuca
Anise liqueur from Italy, with star anise and elderflower. It's much sweeter than ouzo and turns just as white when water is added.
To sambuca →Fernet-Branca
Not an anise drink, but an herbal bitter with lots of menthol. Like ouzo, it's something to have after a meal.
About Fernet-Branca →
Underberg
Herbal bitter from Germany in a 2 cl bottle. Outside the anise category, it's the best-known digestif.
About Underberg →Our drinks page features all the brands we cover, from liqueur to whisky.
Why ouzo turns milky white
Ouzo comes from Greece and tastes mainly of anise. Neutral alcohol is used, then distilled again with anise seeds and often with fennel, star anise, coriander or mastic. The name is protected. Only Greece and Cyprus are allowed to use it. Most of it comes from Lesbos, especially Plomari.
What everyone knows it for is what happens when you add water. The clear drink turns milky white in an instant. This is called the ouzo effect, and there’s straightforward chemistry behind it. Anethole, the flavor compound in anise, dissolves in alcohol but not in water. Add water and the compound comes out of solution. It remains suspended as tiny droplets, which scatter the light. You see exactly the same thing with pastis, raki and absinthe.
In brief
Four anise drinks side by side
With ouzo, the difference is mainly in the alcohol percentage. Alongside it is its French cousin, which does the same thing with water but tastes different.
Ouzo 12
The best-known ouzo outside Greece, made with twelve herbs in the recipe. Plenty of anise and a soft, slightly sweet finish.
Ouzo 12 Gold
Bottled at a slightly lower strength, so it’s softer and rounder. The easiest one to start with in this lineup.
Plomari Ouzo
It comes from Plomari on Lesbos, where most ouzo is made. Drier and more pronounced than Ouzo 12.
Ricard Pastis
This is pastis from Marseille, not ouzo. It turns just as white, but the licorice makes it fuller and sweeter.
Turkish raki, Italian sambuca and absinthe all turn cloudy white with water. But their flavors are quite different.
Ouzo tastes of anise, with herbs around it
Anise & fennel
You immediately smell anise, bold and direct, with fennel and sometimes a hint of spice or citrus underneath. Ouzo makes no secret of what it is.
Slightly sweet and cooling
Slightly sweet, and the anethole gives a cool sensation in your mouth. Add water and it softens, letting the other herbs come through.
Dry and clear
The finish is long and dry, with the anise lingering. That’s why ouzo pairs so well with fatty meze and fried fish.
Here’s how Ouzo 12 at 38% tastes. The Gold is milder and scores lower in strength. Pastis scores higher in sweetness because of the licorice.
Three ways to drink ouzo
Greeks almost never drink it neat, and they certainly don’t take ouzo as a shot. They take their time, with water and food on the table.
With water and ice
Pour 5 cl into a small glass and top up with the same amount of cold water. It turns white and mellows, bringing the other herbs to the fore. Add the ice only after the water, or the anethole will clump.
Glass: tumbler →With meze
Put a bottle of ouzo on the table with an assortment of small dishes. Grilled octopus, fried anchovies, tzatziki, olives. The anise cuts through the fat, which is why they go so well together.
More questions →Ice-cold, but not as a shot
Some Greeks pour it straight from the fridge into a small glass and sip it slowly. Downing it in one go isn’t customary. At 38%, that would be a waste anyway.
Glass: small glass →Ouzo in cocktails
You don’t often see ouzo in cocktails. Its anise flavor overpowers almost everything you mix it with. But a small splash can work in an aperitif.
Aperitif cocktails
The collection of pre-dinner drinks that ouzo fits right into.
Summer cocktails
Long, refreshing drinks with plenty of ice. A splash of ouzo adds a spicy note.
Anise spritz
Prosecco and sparkling water over ice, with a small splash of ouzo instead of liqueur.
Make shots
The complete collection of shot recipes, from layered to ice-cold from the freezer.Which ouzo glasses should you choose?
In Greece, an ouzo glass is narrow and straight. If you don’t have ouzo glasses, a small tumbler or a highball glass works just as well. These are the glasses we recommend.
Questions about ouzo
Can't find your question here? Check out our cocktail recipes or get in touch.
Go to the cocktail recipes →What percentage of alcohol is in ouzo?
Why does ouzo turn white when you add water?
What's the difference between ouzo and sambuca?
How do you drink ouzo?
Where does ouzo come from?
What's the difference between ouzo and pastis?
Buy ouzo
Want to have the bottle delivered straight to your home? Order ouzo online from Gall & Gall.
Prices as of November 3, 2026, as reported by Gall & Gall. You can check the current price and stock at Gall & Gall. Glazen.nl receives a small commission if you buy something through these links; it won't cost you anything extra. No 18, no alcohol.
