What flavour is the Greek liqueur ouzo?

Ouzo is a dry anise-flavoured aperitif that is widely consumed in Greece, Cyprus, Lebanon and Palestine. Its taste is similar to other anise liquors like pastis and sambuca. Other spirits of the region may or may not include anise: arak, rakı, and mastika.

Ouzo has its roots in tsipouro, which is said to have been the work of a group of 14th-century monks on Mount Athos. One version of it was flavoured with anise. This version eventually came to be called ouzo.

The origin of the name "ouzo" is disputed. A popular derivation is from the Italian "uso Massalia" (for use in Marseille) stamped on selected silkworm cocoons exported from Tyrnavos in the 19th century. According to anecdote, this designation came to stand for "superior quality", which the spirit distilled as ouzo was thought to possess.