Katsaros Tirnavou Ouzo

Nose: Soft anise, fennel, mild spices. Fresh and crisp, you can note a variety of faint botanicals. There is a light almost floral tinge. Palate: Freshly herbal and slightly spicy. Prominent anise (obviously), licorice, a little white pepper, cinnamon and capsicum. More elegant and stylish than other ouzo I’ve tasted - not nearly so much of an anise hammer-blow. Finish: Medium. Spicy sweet. The aftertaste lingers longer than you first think. Ouzo is a drink I’ve had very few times in the past, but just recently I’ve tasted several while we’ve been in Greece. I’ll only review a couple here but this one deserves a particular mention. There is a strong similarity between different brands of ouzo and like gin the better ones are those that have a subtle and restrained profile which allows their complexity to show through the veil of the main ingredient. Such is the case here. With water this ouzo only produces a pale louche indicating fewer oily components in the distillate, and the restrained nose and palate confirm this. However this should not be taken to mean it is weak or thin - it is elegant rather than obvious and has complexity. This is made by the same company that makes the tsipouro I rated well recently. Essentially they take their very good twice-distilled spirit and add a collection of 14 spices and herbs including fennel, cinnamon, nutmeg and of course anise (I don’t know whether they do this by maceration or further distillation). As an aside, I’m not convinced that ouzo should be classed as a liqueur. It seems to be a common practice but the spirit is far more similar to gin or flavoured vodka than any liqueur, and it is usually consumed as an accompaniment to food rather than taken neat in small drams as a liqueur (although like pastis it is an excellent aperitif). “Good” : 83/100 (3.5 stars)