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Liqueurs

Anisette

  • Liqueur
  • 27.5% ABV
  • 24 drinks

Is this for me?

Choose this if…

  • ✓You want sweetness, flavour depth and lower ABV in your cocktail.
  • ✓Features in 24 WhatDrink drinks.

Skip if…

  • ✗You want a dry, neutral or high-ABV spirit base.

At a Glance

99 kcalCalories
27.5%ABV
10.5gSugar
13.5gCarbs
LiqueurType
24Recipes

Ingredient nutrition is approximate and varies by brand, recipe and preparation.

What is Anisette?

Anisette is a sweet anise-flavoured liqueur used in classic cocktails and after-dinner drinks. It adds licorice-like sweetness and aromatic spice, often in small amounts with citrus, brandy, gin or cream.

What does Anisette taste like?

Sweet, aromatic and anise-forward, with licorice, fennel and herbal notes. Anisette pairs with gin, brandy, rum, lemon, cream, coffee, apricot, orange and other herbal liqueurs.

Anisette profile

Mixability: HighIntensity: MediumSweetBeginner-friendly: High

Best used for: creamy cocktails, aromatic cocktails, tropical drinks, citrus cocktails

  • Appears in 24 recipes
  • Has 4 common substitutes

Ways to use anisette

Cocktails (24)

Anisette is a sweet anise-flavoured liqueur used in classic cocktails and after-dinner drinks. It adds licorice-like sweetness and aromatic spice, often in small amounts with citrus, brandy, gin or cream.

Flavour profile

AniseLicoriceSweet

Recipes using this

Observed quantities

Observed in single-serve recipes: middle half 29.57–59.15 ml; median 59.15 ml.

In the measured recipes in this dataset — from 23 observed uses.

Scoped nutrition

Calories (per 100 ml)
330
Sugar (per 100 ml)
35 g
Carbs (per 100 ml)
45 g

Ingredient nutrition is approximate and varies by brand, recipe and preparation.

Diet compatibility

  • Gluten-FreeCompatible
  • KetoNot compatible
  • Low-CarbNot compatible
  • Low-SugarNot compatible
  • Veganvaries
  • VegetarianCompatible

Based on the listed ingredient only — a public recipe facet, not medical, allergy or coeliac advice. Specific brands and preparation can change compatibility.

Commonly observed with

BrandyGinLight Rum

Observed co-use in the reviewed recipe corpus — not a universal pairing recommendation.

Trust & methodology

Canonical ingredient/component authority assembled from reviewed identity, recipe, flavour, nutrition, diet and substitution evidence. Observed quantities and co-use patterns are descriptive, not prescriptions or universal recommendations.

Evidence last updated: 2026-07-16T02:53:30.320595+00:00

Substitutes

How to swap Anisette

When replacing Anisette, match both flavor and sweetness. A liqueur substitute can change the aroma, sugar level and color of the drink at the same time.

When to choose it

When to choose Anisette

Choose Anisette when the drink needs sweetness plus a specific aroma or flavor accent. Use it carefully because liqueurs can change both taste and sugar balance.

Skip if

Do not choose Anisette when...

Do not choose Anisette when the drink is already sweet or heavy. Liqueurs add both flavor and sugar, so they need acidity, dryness, bitterness or spirit strength for balance.

What it is

What kind of liqueur is Anisette?

Anisette adds sweetness, aroma and a specific flavor accent. It usually needs balance from citrus, bitterness, dryness or a stronger base ingredient.

Drink counts and recipe data are based on published WhatDrink recipes. Figures may vary as new recipes are added.

Anisette — common questions

How many cocktails are made with Anisette?
There are 24 cocktail recipes featuring Anisette in the WhatDrink database.
What are the most popular cocktails made with Anisette?
Top-ranked cocktails made with Anisette include Baltimore Bracer, Dixie Cocktail, Fontainebleau Special. Rankings are based on recipe quality and data completeness.
What is the ABV of Anisette?
Anisette has an ABV of approximately 27.5%. The exact strength varies by brand and expression.
What do the sensory profile dimensions mean?
Sensory profile dimensions describe key flavour characteristics: Intensity (light to bold), Sweetness (dry to sweet), Mixability (how versatile it is in cocktails) and Beginner-Friendly (acquired taste to easy intro). Each scale helps you compare Anisette with similar ingredients at a glance.
How do I use the Anisette sensory profile to find drinks I like?
If you enjoy the intensity and flavour profile of Anisette, look for other ingredients or cocktails with a similar profile. Compare Intensity, Sweetness and Mixability to find substitutes or discover new cocktails in the same flavour family.