Sambuca is another national variation of “anisovka” – strong alcohol (often alcohol) infused with anise (necessarily included in the composition) and other herbs, which are precisely the carefully guarded secret of the manufacturer. There is no single recipe, each company has its own ingredients and proportions. Italian liqueur is the closest relative of French pastis, Turkish crayfish and Greek ouzo.
According to legend, the drink came to Europe from the Saracens, which is hinted at by the frankly Arabic sound of the name itself. However, the exact origin of the word “sambuca” is unknown, there are several versions on this score:
- From the Latin Sambucus Nigra – “black elderberry”. Considering that this ingredient can also be part of the drink, the version seems quite plausible, as the compilers of the Oxford dictionary also believe, however, the largest sambuca manufacturer, Molinari, refutes this interpretation of the name.
- From the Arabic word zammut – “anise”. The oriental drink, on the basis of which sambuca was later created, was called zammut.
- From a small town in the province of Tuscany.
- From the type of Arab ships on which the “proto-sambuca” was transported to Rome.
The origin of sambuca is closely related to the pharmaceutical business – the drink appeared from medicinal herbal preparations and medicines. Initially, anise tincture with various additives was taken exclusively for medical purposes, then they began to drink after meals to improve digestion, and only then they began to buy sambuca for feasts.
It is not entirely clear how the common anise “evolved” to sambuca. There is a legend that one peasant once accidentally dropped flowers and berries of black elderberry into the tincture. The drink was spoiled, so the zealous owner put it aside for later use for household purposes. After some time, at the daughter’s wedding, all alcohol ran out, and the peasant took out a defective anise, hoping that the tipsy guests would not notice the difference. However, the participants of the feast not only felt the new taste, but also appreciated it – and this is how sambuca appeared.
The official history of sambuca began in 1851, when Luigi Manzi from Civitavecchia released the first alcoholic drink with this name. However, industrial production was still far away – it began only in 1945, and also thanks to the Italian. Angelo Molinari developed his own original sambuca recipe, founded a company to produce a new drink, and eventually “took over the world” – today Molinari owns 70% of the sambuca market in Italy.
Even though the appearance of sambuca is covered with a kind of aura of mystery, this did not prevent the drink from tightly “fitting” into the modern club culture. Sambuca is drunk in cocktails, with ice, “pure” and with additives. Most of all, connoisseurs of this liqueur love the classic serving “with flies” – that is, three coffee beans, symbolizing health, happiness and wealth.
Before drinking, the liquor is set on fire, thanks to which the grains are roasted and give the drink a characteristic aroma. Sambuca is often drunk with coffee: the bitterness of cocoa beans is perfectly set off with sweet anise liqueur.
Production features
Sambuca is an “author’s”, not a “folk” drink, so the exact manufacturing technology (as well as the list of ingredients) is kept in strict confidence. However, it is reliably known that various herbs (primarily anise) insist on alcohol, the resulting liquid is subjected to triple distillation. Then the drink is diluted with spring water and sugar syrup, fragrances and additional ingredients are added. Finally, the tincture is aged for several weeks, filtered and bottled.
In addition to the already mentioned companies Molinari and Manzi, famous sambuca manufacturers include Pallini, Luxardo, Barbero, Casoni, Ramazzotti. This drink for a very long time remained exclusively an Italian heritage and was not exported outside the country, it could be tasted either directly on the Apennine Peninsula, or in trattorias (Italian-style restaurants).