Meletti Anisette Liqueur

Meletti Anisette Liqueur - Anisetta Meletti - is the bottle the house was founded on: Silvio Meletti's original 1870 recipe, still made from green anise grown in the clay soils around Ascoli Piceno and bottled at 34% ABV (68 proof). It is one of Italy's oldest and most decorated liqueurs, the flagship that built the family's name. Find it in our liqueurs collection at Del Mesa Liquor.

• Style: Anisette (anise liqueur)
• Key ingredient: Green anise (Pimpinella anisum) from the clay soil of Le Marche
• Method: Slow bain-marie distillation, Silvio Meletti's original 1870 recipe
• Origin: Ascoli Piceno, Le Marche, Italy
• ABV: 34% (68 proof)
• Size: 750mL

The Story

Ditta Silvio Meletti has made liqueurs in Ascoli Piceno, in Italy's Le Marche region on the Adriatic coast, since 1870 - five generations of the same family, working from Silvio Meletti's original recipes and his bain-marie still, a slow, gentle distillation he developed to protect delicate aromatics. Most ingredients still come from local Le Marche producers who grow exclusively for the house.

Silvio started the company in 1870 with a single ambition: an anise liqueur that would rival or surpass the best of Italy and France. He perfected his mother's artisanal recipe, studying distillation texts and developing his bain-marie still so the anise distillate would emerge intensely aromatic and naturally sweet. Anisetta Meletti became the pride of Ascoli Piceno - served at the family's Caffe Meletti and praised far beyond Le Marche.

Tasting Notes

Pure, bright green anise up front, with fennel and licorice behind it and a gentle natural sweetness. The palate is smooth and intensely aromatic - the bain-marie distillation keeps the anise vivid without any harsh alcohol edge - and the finish is long, clean and warming.

How to Enjoy

Neat or over ice as a digestivo, lengthened with cold water, or stirred into coffee - in Le Marche it is classic in espresso, and the old local custom floats coffee beans in the glass. Its bolder sibling is the Meletti Sambuca; for a chocolate finish, try the Meletti Cioccolato.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between anisette and sambuca?
Both are anise liqueurs. Anisetta Meletti is distilled purely from green anise at 34% ABV - lighter and more delicate - while sambuca adds elderflower and is bottled stronger at 42%, with a richer body.

Why is Anisetta Meletti famous?
It is the 1870 original that founded the house, made from prized local green anise with a slow bain-marie distillation Silvio Meletti developed himself.

How is it served?
Neat, on ice, with a splash of cold water, or in coffee as a correzione.

Meletti Anisette Liqueur (750mL) is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, with fast, secure shipping on every order.