Ouzo
Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2026 9:15 pmI've been tinkering with this recipe for a while now. Tried sharing it on HD but got pulled for some reason.
Anyway. Please enjoy. I am a big fan of flavor and I think this is pretty great.
If you make it please let me know!
Recipe:
1L 50% Neutral (hearts cut)
Botanical Bill:
Aniseed: 21.0g
Fennel Seed: 10.0g
Star Anise: 7.0g
Coriander Seed: 3.0g
Dried licorice Root: 2.0g
Green Cardamom Pods: 2 pod (approx 0.5g)
Crushed Juniper Berry: 1.0g
Bay leaf: half a leaf (approx 0.2g)
Method:
Macerate all the Botanicals together at 50degC for half an hour before pot distilling.
I treated this like a gin and distilled with the spices in my pot (if you can't I suggest either buying a large Chinese stock pot tea strainer and putting them all in that or just macerating for longer before distilling clean/clear of the chunks).
Took the first 10-20mL off and discarded similar to Gin. And just kept running until flavor disappeared. I noted no off flavor at the end but could taste each spice as it went.
Notes:
I've read a lot of old time-y and original recipes from the motherland of Ouzo they use Mastic Tears (which is a wood resin I could not get my hands on) so I subbed that for a very small amount of crushed Juniper to try and get the piney-resin like flavor.
Go light on the Bay leaf for a bit of that tannic note.
And cardomon, 2 pods smelt amazing and had their own slice in the distillate as it came out. But once mixed.. I wouldn't say. Disappeared. But gave the impression of the spice that sometimes you get with a strong licorice. Similar to the spice the fennel imparts.
A lot of recipes speak about keeping a 2:1:1 ratio of Aniseed : Fennel : Star Anise and if you want to alter the amounts to match that go for it. This is just what I've learnt I like.
Anyway. Please enjoy. I am a big fan of flavor and I think this is pretty great.
If you make it please let me know!
Recipe:
1L 50% Neutral (hearts cut)
Botanical Bill:
Aniseed: 21.0g
Fennel Seed: 10.0g
Star Anise: 7.0g
Coriander Seed: 3.0g
Dried licorice Root: 2.0g
Green Cardamom Pods: 2 pod (approx 0.5g)
Crushed Juniper Berry: 1.0g
Bay leaf: half a leaf (approx 0.2g)
Method:
Macerate all the Botanicals together at 50degC for half an hour before pot distilling.
I treated this like a gin and distilled with the spices in my pot (if you can't I suggest either buying a large Chinese stock pot tea strainer and putting them all in that or just macerating for longer before distilling clean/clear of the chunks).
Took the first 10-20mL off and discarded similar to Gin. And just kept running until flavor disappeared. I noted no off flavor at the end but could taste each spice as it went.
Notes:
I've read a lot of old time-y and original recipes from the motherland of Ouzo they use Mastic Tears (which is a wood resin I could not get my hands on) so I subbed that for a very small amount of crushed Juniper to try and get the piney-resin like flavor.
Go light on the Bay leaf for a bit of that tannic note.
And cardomon, 2 pods smelt amazing and had their own slice in the distillate as it came out. But once mixed.. I wouldn't say. Disappeared. But gave the impression of the spice that sometimes you get with a strong licorice. Similar to the spice the fennel imparts.
A lot of recipes speak about keeping a 2:1:1 ratio of Aniseed : Fennel : Star Anise and if you want to alter the amounts to match that go for it. This is just what I've learnt I like.