Best Sambuca of 2025
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Sambuca is an Italian anise-flavoured liqueur that is typically served as a digestif after a meal. It is made from an infusion of star anise, liquorice, and other herbs and spices, which gives it a sweet and fragrant flavour. Sambuca is often served neat and can be enjoyed on its own or with a few coffee beans, which are traditionally added for flavour and aroma. It is also commonly used in cocktails, such as the famous Sambuca and coffee, and can be a great addition to a party or gathering.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks
#TOP 1
9.8
#TOP 2
9.7
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9.5
Top 10 Sambuca
Antica Sambuca Black with Liquorice Flavour
Antica Sambuca Black offers a classic sambuca flavour that is both rich and indulgent. With strong hints of spicy liquorice, it provides a unique taste experience that can be enjoyed straight or in cocktails. Its deep purplish black colour adds an appealing visual element to any drink. When you sip this sambuca, you'll notice its silky sweetness complemented by herbal notes, making it a delightful choice for evenings with friends or special occasions.
Luxardo Sambuca dei Cesari Liqueur 70cl
Luxardo Sambuca Liqueur is a premium Italian spirit with a rich heritage of 200 years. As a sweet and strong liqueur, it offers a delightful taste that can enhance your cocktails or be enjoyed neat. This sambuca delivers excellent quality, ensuring that every sip is satisfying. With its great value for money, this product allows you to indulge in a luxurious drink experience without breaking the bank. You can appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into this liqueur, making it a perfect addition to any gathering.
Antica Sambuca Liquorice & Classic Flavours
The Antica Sambuca offers a delightful experience with its classic sambuca flavour and strong hints of spicy liquorice. The deep purplish black colour adds a touch of elegance, making it perfect for special occasions. You will enjoy the rich, silky, and sweet flavours, complemented by herbal notes that dance on your palate. This sambuca is ideal for sipping or mixing in cocktails, providing a unique taste that will impress your guests.
Luxardo Passionne Nera Anise and Liquorice Liqueur
Luxardo Passionne Nera is an exceptional liqueur that brings together the unique flavours of anise and liquorice. As a market leader in black sambuca, it offers a rich, inky black hue that promises intense taste experiences. Crafted by the esteemed Luxardo family, its production involves careful infusions to achieve a perfectly balanced flavour. With prominent star anise notes and velvety sensations, this liqueur is perfect for sipping straight, on the rocks, or as a key ingredient in your favourite cocktails.
La Mosca Sambuca with Banana Liqueur
La Mosca Sambuca is a delightful liqueur produced by Casoni, renowned distillers in Italy since 1814. This unique variant combines the classic Sambuca flavour with a sweet hint of banana, creating a smooth and velvety taste experience. Ideal for enjoying as a digestif, it also works wonderfully in cocktails or as a shot, offering versatility for any occasion. Bottled at 30% ABV in a stylish 70cl glass bottle, it is perfect for those who appreciate a rich anise flavour complemented by the lovely sweetness of banana.
Di Antonio Sambuca Nera Herbal Liqueur 70cl
Di Antonio Sambuca Nera is a delightful herb and spice liqueur from Italy that boasts rich anise and liquorice notes, perfect for those who enjoy distinctive flavours. Its jet black colour and icy cold serving make it an impressive choice for gatherings. The hints of citrus add a refreshing twist, enhancing your drinking experience. Enjoying this liqueur neat allows you to fully appreciate its unique blend, making it an excellent addition to your collection for special occasions or a night in.
La Mosca Sambuca with Raspberry Flavour
La Mosca Sambuca offers a delightful blend of traditional Italian craftsmanship and refreshing raspberry flavour. Produced by Casoni, a respected distiller since 1814, this liqueur features a smooth and velvety taste with rich anise notes perfectly balanced by sweet, juicy raspberries. Whether enjoyed as a digestif after a meal, mixed into cocktails for a unique twist, or taken as a shot, this 30% ABV liqueur is versatile and enhances any social occasion.
Antica Green Chilli and Classic Sambuca
The Antica Sambuca offers a unique experience with its blend of classic sweet syrupy notes and a delightful tang of chilli. This combination of anise and chilli makes for a fun drink that stands out from traditional sambuca. You will appreciate the sweet chilli and star anise finish, which adds depth to every sip. Ideal for those looking to explore new flavours, this sambuca is sure to impress at gatherings or as a special treat for yourself.
Ramazzotti Black Sambuca 70 cl Bottle
Ramazzotti Black Sambuca offers a delightful experience with its dark green colour and blue reflections, making it visually appealing. The intense aroma, featuring pleasant hints of liquorice, invites you to indulge in its rich flavour. On the palate, you will find it sweet and full-bodied, providing a satisfying alcoholic warmth. The typical liquorice note enhances the overall taste, making it perfect for sipping or mixing in cocktails. Enjoying this sambuca can elevate your gatherings or quiet evenings at home.
Pollini Premium Sambuca Black, 70 cl - Chilled Delight
Pollini Premium Sambuca is best served chilled, making it a refreshing choice for gatherings or a cosy night in. Its elegant presentation also makes it an ideal gift item for friends and family who appreciate fine drinks. The quality of this sambuca ensures an enjoyable tasting experience, perfect for sipping or mixing in cocktails. With its rich flavour, you can treat yourself to a delightful drink that elevates any occasion.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What kind of alcohol is sambuca?
Sambuca is a colourless liqueur made from anise and has its origin in Italy. The liqueur contains distillates of green anise and star anise. Sambuca has high sugar content (350 g/litre) and an alcohol content of 38 percent by volume. Popular as a digestif, Sambuca is preferably enjoyed “con la mosca – with fly”!
2. Can you drink sambuca straight?
Serving. Sambuca may be served neat. It may also be served on the rocks or with water, resulting in the ouzo effect from the anethole in the anise. Like other anise liqueurs, it may be consumed after coffee as an ammazzacaffè or added directly to coffee in place of sugar to produce a caffè corretto.
3. How many shots of sambuca does it take to get drunk?
A LARGE single measure of sambuca (35ml) has 1.4 units of alcohol — so 30 shots will be 42 units, enough to seriously intoxicate and endanger health. The speed at which it is downed also matters. As a rule of thumb, an adult human body clears about one unit an hour, so 42 is a dangerously large dose in one session.
4. What does sambuca taste like?
Sambuca is an Italian alcoholic beverage with a distinct licorice flavor, typically made from star anise and other flavorings, and often used in making cocktails or enjoyed as a digestif or ammazzacaffé.
During our sambuca research, we found 21 sambuca products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 30,895 customer reviews through our big data system to write the sambuca list. We found that most customers choose sambuca with an average price of £22.95.
The sambuca are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of sambuca, including Antica Sambuca, Luxardo, La Mosca, Di Antonio, Ramazzotti.
Kiera Browne served as chef and caterer in Purslane Restaurant for three years before establishing her restaurant. Kiera now owns two restaurants and a culinary school all over the United Kingdom. Kiera has featured in magazines and editorials, providing recipes for various dishes. Using her skills and knowledge in the culinary field, Kiera has published few pamphlets on preparing various cuisines.