..............................................

EVERYONE HAS A SAMBUCA STORY. Some of us even have a sambuca scar. From singed eyebrows in the student bar to shots at a birthday celebration, sambuca has fuelled dares, charged toasts and provided the start – as well as the finish – to many great nights out. But in today’s ever-more sophisticated drinking climate, is that enough? 

From dedicated cocktail competitions, interest in provenance and even lawsuits to defend its integrity, this anise liqueur’s success is much more than a random shot in the dark. 

After the mighty vodka flavour wave, we saw a raft of sambucas of all flavours, colours and abvs come on to the market, and in 2014 this even sparked a legal battle. UK distributor Hi-Spirits and its Antica sambuca owner Antiche sued Fratelli Francoli over its 30% abv Opal brand because sambuca, by EU definition, has to be 38%. The matter was settled confidentially and in April 2014, a 38% Opal Nera appeared on the UK market. 

Nick Rodgers, head of Instil Drinks Co, who started to distribute Opal in 2013, said at the time that he was delighted with Opal’s return to its home in the sambuca category. “Opal Nera has a strong brand identity, but has been in a bit of an odd space since the abv was lowered in 2011, which has left many customers confused,” he said. “Often when they wanted to celebrate a high energy occasion with a sambuca, they were refused their preferred first choice of Opal.”

Antica’s efforts to protect sambuca’s heritage, along with general consumer and bartender interest in provenance, history and quality, has sparked a sea-change in the category, especially in one of its core markets, the UK. 

UK ontrade numbers suggest sambuca is in growth – in fact, it’s sold in 75,000 licensed outlets according to trade analysts CGA Strategy. 

MAT to January 24, 2015 shows sambuca is up by 0.9% and CGA surmises that this has been driven by an increase in distribution, which is up 1.6%. 

A spokesperson for CGA says: “We have largely seen increased consumer interest in the more traditional spirits categories over recent times (eg the return of gin), and this sambuca trend largely represents this. 

“Luxardo has accounted for the majority of gains, with volumes up 10.6% as a brand family. The key winners within its portfolio have been the Dei Cesari and Passione Nera variants.” Though this hasn’t slowed the company’s flavour favour, but more of that later. 

Antica global brand ambassador Bruno Vanzan says bartenders are working hard to innovate when it comes to sambuca consumption. “In the past 10 years, bars around the world have changed how they mix products and how they serve drinks. 

“Of course, sambuca takes something from that. In the beginning, sambuca was a ‘perfect shot’ after dinner or with a cup of coffee – the way old Italian people were drinking – but in the past three or four years, we have been working hard in several ways, such as inventing new recipes and through mixologist competitions to mix sambuca in drinks and change the minds of people drinking sambuca.”

In Italy, Antica marketing manager Anna Capuzzo from Antiche Distillerie Riunite believes there is a passion for original recipes and brand discovery but with a 21st century twist. 

“We can’t ignore the origin of a product, and there’s a trend to rediscover the classic, but with revision. Consumers are always asking for new ideas and new ways to consume. The mission of the company is ‘to refine an old category and make it cool again’.” 

Initiatives include masterclasses from the Antica brand ambassador at events such as Expo Milano. 

Meanwhile, in Germany, where Antica launched in 2013, the company has been working to expand drinking occasions for sambuca so that “it’s not only drunk as a digestif”. 

Perhaps one of the most significant changes has been through Molinari’s development of a dedicated cocktail competition in the Canadian market. 

The inaugural 2015 final saw six bartenders create their own original cocktail featuring Molinari sambuca and judges included acclaimed Vancouver bartenders Shaun Layton of L’Abbattoir and Lauren Mote of UVA Wine & Cocktail Bar, as well as Tom Doughty of Molinari distributor Stile Brands. 

The winner was Sabrine Dhaliwal from West Restaurant in Vancouver. She says: “By engaging and educating bartenders, we are able to pass on this information to our guests. Bartenders are the faces to many great products that guests otherwise wouldn’t normally try. 

“Brands engaging bartenders is a great place to start since we have the tools and the skills to create sambuca cocktails and help change the perception of this delicious liqueur.”

Favoured flavours 

Despite talk of provenance and complex cocktails, sambuca will always be a party spirit and with that comes flavours. 

Craig Chapman, marketing manager for Luxardo at UK distributor Cellar Trends, says: “Flavours continue to be a very important part in developing the Luxardo range as they introduce many people to sambuca who may otherwise have ordered a more mainstream vodka or gin.  

“Flavours also give the opportunity for bars to serve a fast round of different flavours to a sociable table of customers who may want to share the same type of drink but with something different as a talking point.” 

Recent additions to Luxardo’s portfolio include Chilli & Spices, Cola, Pear and Mint.  

For summer 2015, UK Antica distributor Hi-Spirits is launching a campaign which features the most popular on-trade flavours in the company’s range – Classic, Raspberry, Apple, Chilli and Liquorice. 

Using the strapline Summer Starts with Antica, the promotion will encourage customers to try the flavours either as a shot, or as a long drink under the Antica Long Shot name. Serves include Chilli Fizz – Antica Chilli with lemonade; Raspberry Spritzer – Antica Raspberry with lemonade; and Midnight Memories – Antica Liquorice with cranberry juice.

Dan Bolton, managing director of Hi-Spirits, says: “Sambuca has moved over the past decade from being a novelty spirit, served either flaming or with coffee beans floating in the glass, to become part of many consumers’ core drinking repertoire. Much of that has been driven by the success of Antica, which was the first flavoured sambuca range, and the brands which followed, in creating a ‘party’ feel.

“The popularity of sambuca as a shot means that it is now a must-stock rather than a ‘nice-to-have’ in bars, which is a big shift in a relatively short time.”

As the cocktail market continues to mature around the world, it will be interesting to see categories such as sambuca evolve – it can be much more than just a parting shot. 

How to mix sambuca, according to Molinari champion Sabrine Dhaliwal

“Shots are the first introduction many people have to sambuca. As cocktail culture is growing globally, people are more open to trying new things and combinations. It is often served neat, usually on the side of coffee at the end of a meal. 

“Sambuca has a very dominant anise flavour, which is something many people are gravitating towards with classic cocktails continuing their rise. 

“The texture of sambuca is more challenging – it  has a high viscosity so it’s important to balance the cocktail to ensure it has great texture and mouthfeel without being overwhelming.  

“I like to pair it with gin since it’s a spirit that has many similar flavours (anise, liquorice, different herbs etc) so they complement each other well.”