Long pigeonholed as either a shot or a digestif, sambuca has struggled to remain relevant amid emerging preferences for lower-ABV, lighter and ‘healthier’ servesBrand owners believe the category needs to embrace new serves like long drinks and cocktails, as well as innovative consumption occasions in the on-premiseWhile some attempts are being made to make sambuca more exciting, smaller brand owners feel there needs to be a category-wide push to revive its prospectsThe words used to describe the market for sambuca are fairly uninspiring - ‘mature’, ‘traditional’, even ‘dormant�
Identifying the next steps for sambuca – Category Intel
From digestif to party shot, sambuca has multiple faces. In recent years, however, the anise-flavoured Italian liqueur has struggled to retain its relevance amid changing consumer preferences.

From digestif to party shot, sambuca has multiple faces. In recent years, however, the anise-flavoured Italian liqueur has struggled to retain its relevance amid changing consumer preferences.
Jess joined Global Drinks Intel as deputy editor in January 2026 following a stint as a freelance journalist in Panama. She was previously deputy editor at Just Drinks.
She has bylines in other industry titles including The Buyer, Fine Lees and Just Food, and has been a sub-editor at The Daily Mail.


