Apostalagma Ouzo - Anise Liqueur Recipe

Prepare spirit

If using raisins to add body, macerate 100 g raisins in 1 L neutral grape spirit in an airtight glass jar for 48 hours at room temperature. After maceration, strain out raisins. Otherwise, pour 1 L neutral grape spirit (40–50% ABV) or high-proof vodka into a large, clean glass jar.

Lightly crack fennel seeds and crush cardamom pods to release oils, but do not pulverize. Lightly break star anise if whole to expose interior seeds.

Combine botanicals

Add star anise, green anise (aniseed), cracked fennel seeds, crushed cardamom pods, coriander seeds, cloves, and lemon peel to the jar with the spirit. Ensure all botanicals are submerged.

Macerate

Seal the jar and store in a cool, dark place. Macerate for 7–10 days, gently swirling the jar once daily for even extraction. Taste after 5–7 days: you want a pronounced anise aroma but not overwhelming bitter notes from cloves or pith from lemon.

Strain

After maceration, strain the spirit through a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a clean vessel to remove solids. Press or gently squeeze solids to recover liquid but avoid extracting excessive bitterness.

Optional small-batch re-distillation

For a more refined ouzo characteristic, optionally redistill the infused spirit in a small pot still: transfer the strained macerate to the still, run a slow distillation collecting the heart fraction and discarding heads/tails. Collect ~700–800 ml of distillate depending on still and proof. This step concentrates the essential oils and lightens heavier congeners.

Make sugar syrup

In a saucepan, combine 500 ml water and 300 g granulated sugar. Heat gently, stirring until sugar fully dissolves. Bring to a gentle simmer for 1–2 minutes to clarify, then remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Blend and dilute

Combine the strained (or distilled) anise-infused spirit with the cooled sugar syrup. Add an additional 300 ml cold water to reach desired final strength and flavor balance. Stir or gently roll in the container to homogenize. Typical final ABV will be ~38–42% depending on starting spirit and whether you distilled; adjust dilution water accordingly to reach desired strength.

Taste and adjust: if too sweet, add up to 50 ml neutral spirit; if too strong anise flavor, add small increments (10–20 ml) of neutral spirit or water. If too dry, dissolve an additional 10–30 g sugar in a small amount of warm water and incorporate.

Mature

Bottle the ouzo in clean dark glass bottles and let rest for at least 2–4 weeks in a cool, dark place to marry flavors. Flavors will round and integrate over several weeks.

Serve

Serve chilled in small chilled glasses. Add a splash of cold water to observe the classic louche (milky) effect. Ouzo is traditionally enjoyed alongside meze or as a digestif.

Storage: keep bottles sealed and stored cool and dark. Best consumed within 1–2 years for peak aromatic freshness.