Ouzo

Ouzo is the generic term for strong, anise-based and absinthe-like spirits made in Greece.

Turns whitish and opaque when water is added to it - also known as the louche.

Usually served as an apéritif - on ice, straight, or mixed with water - together with small appetizers known as mezes.

Ouzo is not produced in any other part of the world, except Greece. The finest ouzo is said to come from the island of Lesvos.

One of the best known ouzos is the classic Ouzo Barbayanni Blue, produced since 1860 by Barbayannis Liquor Distilleries in Lesvos.

Ouzo is a major export product of Greece, and protected by the European Union as an exclusively Greek product.