Romana Black: Sambuca

Type: Sambuca

Brand: Romana

Year/Specialty: Black Sambuca

Cost:$ 20.00 - $ 30.00 U.S.

A little History:

Sambuca (all types) historically comes from Italy and is considered an after course drink (or known as a digestive liquor) and could be considered a medium between dinner and desert. Romana Sambuca comes from the giant spirit company Diageo, who has zero useful information on their website about it. This does not mean we don’t have anything to talk about; in fact, it gives us free reign to speak less on the brand and more on the history of this liqueur. There is disputed ancestry (but when isn’t there) on exactly when and by whom Sambuca was created. I believe the most plausible theory is that this drink was sold on the streets/small restaurants to passersby who had already eaten and were looking for a flavorful shot to whet the palate. Around the late 1800s is when it would have come about, as this also coincides with a lot of other famous Italian liqueurs making their prominence known amongst global travelers.

A little Geography:

Italians are known for their festive and gastronomic culture, so it is not a farfetched to believe they would create drinks to celebrate the further enjoyment of the finer things in life. Although Italy is along a coast, it also has rolling hills and some of the steepest mountains in Europe. With these types of surrounding area, there would be a plethora of different herbs, spices, and foliage to use when creating new spirits.

A little Science:

Unlike your standard spirit that has a base component to distill giving it a unique flavor profile, Sambuca is pure alcohol that is infused with essential oils, sugar water, licorice, star anise, and elderberries. This is the “typical” clear or white type of Sambuca, for the one that we are speaking of, the color comes from the witch elder bush. There are other colored types that have different infused berry mixes or color additives, but the “white” and “black” Sambuca are the most prominent in restaurants and local liquor stores. What makes this a “digestive liquor” is that the infusion of licorice is a natural laxative. It is not an overly powerful one, but take note, too many drinks of this in one night can lead to an upset stomach, not only from the sugar…

Let’s take a drink:

On the smell, the first and only aroma I detect is licorice; it is not overpowering, but welcoming. When it hits the front of the tongue, it is very soft, (especially for 40% ABV) and as it washes over, the licorice taste intensifies. As it moves to the back of the mouth and on the palate, I get the aromatic influence of anise herbiness. I think this would be great in coffee for a little pep in the afternoon.

Who may like this drink:

Most people who enjoy a good herb influenced drink will enjoy its licorice and anise taste. This is a standard liqueur that any enthusiast could enjoy straight or mixed.

Who may not like this drink:

You are not one for the sweet liqueurs and scoff at the thought of a drink that could be considered candy.

References:

Diageo (2016). Our Brands: Romana Sambuca . Retrieved from http://www.diageo.com/en-us/ourbrands/brandfinder/Pages/RomanaSambuca.aspx

ItalianNotebook.com (2009).Sambuca. Retrieved from http://www.italiannotebook.com/food-wine/sambuca/

LifeInItaly.com (2013). The most famous Italian liquors. Retrieved from http://www.lifeinitaly.com/ wines/most-famous-italian-liquors

NolanDalla.com (2014). Black Sambuca: a cathedral to licorice. Retrieved from http://www.lifeinitaly.com/ wines/most-famous-italian-liquors

Wikipedia.com (2016). Sambuca. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sambuca