Learn everything you need to know about ouzo, Greece’s national drink: how it’s drunk, how it’s made, why it turns milky-white when you add water to it and why it tastes of Greek summer!
Imagine yourself sipping a glass of ouzo in the afternoon shade of a Greek island taverna, just as the sun begins to set over the Aegean. Can you pick out the aromas of Greek summer? The taste of friendship, laughter, sunshine… and feel your mind travelling far beyond the city limits of your home?
Ouzo is the national drink of Greece. And deservedly so. If you’ve never tried it, it’s an aperitif, flavoured with anise or fennel seed, and is exclusively produced in Greece.
While there are other liquorice-scented drinks in the Mediterranean (that also change colour when you add water), ouzo stands out because of its production process. By European law, it is the only one that relates to distilled aniseed and must be produced in a still called an amvyka).
The production process involves the distillation of 96% alcohol by volume spirit, flavoured with a combination of seeds (anise, fennel etc.), spices (cinnamon, clove etc.) and mastiha, according to the recipe of the producer. The specially designed stills are traditionally made of copper and the high quality of the ouzo is ensured by the design and seal of the bottles, which bear all the details of the product and the distiller.
Read the full article at: discovergreece.com
