Anisette
Anisette, or Anis, is an anise-flavored liqueur that is consumed in most Mediterranean countries. It is colorless, and because it contains sugar, is sweeter than dry anise flavoured spirits (e.g. absinthe). The most traditional style of anisette is that produced by means of distilling aniseed, and is differentiated from those produced by simple maceration by the inclusion of the word "distilled" on the label. And while Pastis is a similar-tasting liqueur that is prepared in similar fashion and sometimes confused with anisette, it employs a combination of both aniseed and licorice root extracts. Sambuca is essentially an  anisette of Italian origin that requires a high minimum (350g/l) sugar content. The liqueur is often mixed with water or poured over ice cubes because of its strong flavour. Geographical spread. Mediterranean. In the Mediterranean Basin, anise-based or liquorice-based spirits include: Latin America. Anise-flavoured alcohols from other parts of the world include Aguardiente from Colombia and Mexico. Asia. Anise liqueur was also introduced to the Philippines by the Spanish, which developed into the local "anisado", an anise-flavored liqueur usually made from distilled sugarcane wine. A notable variant of Filipino "anisado" with sugar is known as  anisado Mallorca, or simply "Mallorca". They are commonly used as ingredients in Filipino cuisine. Popular culture. In the 1974 epic The Godfather Part II, Johnny Ola asks for anisette when he arrives for a sit-down at Michael Corleone's compound at Lake Tahoe.