If you know anise spirits, you've probably tried at least one of the Mediterranean or Middle Eastern classics — ouzo from Greece, raki from Turkey, pastis from France, sambuca from Italy, arak from Lebanon. They all share that distinctive licorice flavor. So when someone hands you a shot of Colombian aguardiente, the first reaction is usually: "Oh, this is like ouzo."
It's not. Not really. They share DNA, but the differences in base spirit, sugar content, ABV, cultural context, and drinking ritual make each one a distinct experience. Here's how they compare.
The Comparison Table
| Spirit | Origin | Base | ABV | Character |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aguardiente | Colombia | Sugarcane | 24–29% | Clean, smooth, subtle sweetness, moderate anise |
| Ouzo | Greece | Grape pomace | 37–50% | Bold anise, turns milky with water, herbaceous |
| Raki | Turkey | Grape pomace | 40–50% | Strong, dry, sharp anise, potent |
| Pastis | France | Neutral spirit | 40–45% | Herbal, complex, licorice with Provençal herbs |
| Sambuca | Italy | Neutral spirit | 38–42% | Sweet, syrupy, intense anise, often served with coffee beans |
| Arak | Lebanon/Middle East | Grape | 40–63% | Dry, powerful, turns milky, served with water and food |
Aguardiente vs. Ouzo
The most common comparison, and the most misleading. Ouzo is grape-based, typically 37–50% ABV, and has a more aggressive anise punch. When you add water, ouzo turns milky white (the "louche effect") — aguardiente doesn't. Ouzo is traditionally served with water and meze (small plates), sipped slowly over a long meal. Aguardiente is shot in rounds at parties.
Flavor-wise, ouzo is herbaceous and complex — many producers add other botanicals like fennel, coriander, or mastic alongside the anise. Aguardiente is cleaner and simpler — anise over sugarcane, full stop. If ouzo is a conversation, aguardiente is a toast.
Aguardiente vs. Raki
Raki is Turkey's national drink and the closest cousin to ouzo — grape-based, high ABV (40–50%), served with water and meze. Like ouzo, it louches when diluted. The main difference from ouzo is that raki tends to be drier and sharper, with less herbal complexity.
Compared to aguardiente, raki is a different weight class entirely. At nearly double the ABV, it's a much more intense drinking experience. The grape base gives it a vinous quality that aguardiente's sugarcane base completely lacks. Culturally, raki is also a sipping drink — the idea of shooting raki in rounds would horrify a Turkish host.
Aguardiente vs. Pastis
Pastis is French, born in Marseille after absinthe was banned in 1915. It's made from a neutral spirit infused with anise, licorice root, and a blend of Provençal herbs — which gives it a more complex, layered flavor than any other spirit on this list. Ricard and Pernod are the major brands.
Pastis is always served diluted with water (about 5:1 water to pastis), which creates the signature cloudy, golden drink. It's an aperitif — a before-dinner drink sipped slowly in the afternoon sun. The herbal complexity makes pastis arguably the most sophisticated anise spirit, but also the most different from aguardiente in how it's consumed.
A blind taste test comparing pastis to aguardiente found that nobody confused the two — the difference in ABV (45% vs. 29%) and herbal profile made them clearly distinct.
Aguardiente vs. Sambuca
Sambuca is the sweet one. Italian sambuca is essentially an anise-flavored liqueur — high sugar content, syrupy texture, and an ABV around 38–42%. It's famously served "con la mosca" — with three coffee beans floating in it, representing health, happiness, and prosperity.
Compared to aguardiente, sambuca is much sweeter, much thicker, and much more intense. One shot of sambuca coats your mouth; aguardiente cleans it. Sambuca is an after-dinner digestif; aguardiente is the fuel for the entire evening. They share the anise note but occupy completely different roles.
Aguardiente vs. Arak
Arak is the grandfather of anise spirits — the oldest, the driest, and often the most powerful. Produced across the Levant (Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Israel), it's grape-based, distilled with aniseed, and typically 40–63% ABV. Like ouzo and raki, it louches with water.
Arak is traditionally served with food — specifically meze. The water-diluted, milky drink accompanies dishes like hummus, kibbeh, tabbouleh, and grilled meats. It's a meal drink, not a party drink. The flavor is dry, clean, and powerful — less sweet than aguardiente, less herbal than pastis, and more austere than anything in the Colombian tradition.
What Makes Aguardiente Unique
After comparing all six, aguardiente stands out in several ways:
It's the lightest. At 24–29% ABV, aguardiente has the lowest alcohol content of any major anise spirit. This isn't a weakness — it's what allows the marathon-style drinking sessions that define Colombian social life. You can drink aguardiente for hours without hitting the wall that raki or arak would put up in 45 minutes.
It's sugarcane-based. Every other spirit on this list is grape-based or made from neutral grain spirit. Aguardiente's sugarcane foundation gives it a distinct sweetness and smoothness that grape-based spirits don't have. It's closer to cachaça or rhum agricole in its base character, with anise layered on top.
It's a party drink. Ouzo, raki, arak, and pastis are all meal drinks — served with food, diluted with water, sipped slowly. Sambuca is an after-dinner digestif. Aguardiente is none of these. It's a social accelerant, consumed in shots, in rounds, standing up, at volume. It's the only anise spirit in the world that's primarily a party drink.
It doesn't louche. Unlike ouzo, raki, and arak, aguardiente doesn't turn milky when mixed with water. The lower ABV and different distillation process keep the anise oils in solution. It stays clear no matter what you do to it.
Every culture with an anise spirit has built a ritual around it. What separates aguardiente isn't the flavor — it's the context. This is the anise spirit that dances.
Which Should You Try?
If you already love one of these spirits, here's your gateway:
- Love ouzo? Start with Aguardiente Antioqueño Tapa Roja — familiar anise, but smoother and lighter.
- Love pastis? Try Cristal Sin Azúcar — the driest, most nuanced aguardiente, closest to pastis's complexity.
- Love sambuca? Go for Néctar or a traditional (con azúcar) Cristal — the sweeter profiles will feel familiar.
- Love raki or arak? Try Llanero — the boldest, most uncompromising aguardiente on the market.
And if you've never tried any of them — start with aguardiente. It's the most approachable, the most social, and the most fun. Everything else can wait.
New to aguardiente? Start with our complete beginner's guide.