Ouzo vs Chartreuse: Taste, ABV, Calories & More
Ouzo vs Chartreuse
| Information | Ouzo | Chartreuse |
|---|---|---|
Family | Spirit | Spirit |
Type | anise spirit | anise spirit |
Container | Shot | Shot |
Serving Size | 45 mL/1.5oz | 45 mL/1.5oz |
Calories | 110 kcal | 137 kcal |
ABV % | 40% | 55% |
Alcohol (grams) | 14.2 | 19.5 |
Taste | Licorice, sweet, herbal | Herbal, sweet, botanical |
Texture | Oily, silky, viscous | Viscous, coating, warming |
Mixers | Chilled water, ice cubes | Tonic, chocolate, pineapple juice |
Is Vegan? | Yes | Yes |
Glutenfree? | Yes | Yes |
Carbs (grams) | 8 | 10 |
Sugars (grams) | 8 | 10 |
Main Ingredient | Grape pomace | Sugar beet spirit |
Aged? | No | Aged in uncharred French oak casks for several years. |
Country | Greece | France |
Price (USD) | 15 - 50 | 60 - 150 |
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A closer look at the history, taste, and unique characteristics of these two beverages.
Drink Type
Ouzo & Chartreuse | anise spirit
An anise spirit is a clear, distilled alcoholic beverage heavily flavored with the essential oils of star anise, green anise, or fennel. A defining characteristic of this category is the louche effect, a chemical reaction where the liquid spontaneously turns cloudy and opaque when diluted with water.
What Makes Each Drink Unique?
Ouzo
Ouzo is unique due to the louche effect, where it turns cloudy upon adding water. This happens because the essential oil anethole is soluble in alcohol but not in water. It is exclusively produced in Greece and strictly regulated by geographical indication laws.
Chartreuse
This liqueur is distinguished by its proprietary blend of 130 botanicals, known only to two Carthusian monks at any time. Furthermore, its distinctive natural color, derived entirely from chlorophyll without artificial dyes, remains uniquely stable despite the high alcohol content and extended aging.
The Taste Experience
Ouzo
Ouzo delivers a strong, sweet licorice flavor derived from aniseed. It is typically accompanied by herbal notes such as fennel, coriander, or clove. The finish is sharp and warm, leaving a lingering, distinctly aromatic botanical aftertaste.
Chartreuse
Green Chartreuse presents a complex, heavily botanical flavor profile. It delivers pronounced notes of pine, citrus, and anise, balanced by a deep, syrupy sweetness. The finish is lingering, earthy, and notably warm due to its high alcohol by volume content.
Serving Notes
Ouzo
The recommended serving temperature for ouzo is 10 degrees Celsius / 50 Fahrenheit. Chilling ouzo to approximately 10 degrees Celsius manages the intensity of the anise flavor. Lower temperatures facilitate the louching effect when water is added, precipitating essential oils to create a characteristic cloudy appearance and smoother texture.
Chartreuse
The recommended serving temperature for chartreuse is 12 degrees Celsius / 53.6 Fahrenheit. Serving at twelve degrees Celsius balances the intense herbal complexity with the high alcohol content. This temperature prevents the spirit from becoming overly volatile while allowing the intricate botanical notes to remain perceptible on the palate.
History & Origin
Ouzo
Ouzo originated in the nineteenth century in Greece following Greek independence. It evolved from tsipouro, a traditional pomace brandy, when distillers began extensively flavoring their spirits with aniseed. The island of Lesbos quickly became the center of production. By the twentieth century, it gained massive cultural significance and eventually received a protected designation of origin, cementing its status as the national drink of Greece.
Chartreuse
Chartreuse is a French liqueur originally created by Carthusian monks in 1737 from a 1605 manuscript. Originally formulated as a medicinal elixir, it quickly became a widely consumed beverage. To this day, the complex mixture of botanicals is exclusively prepared by only two monks at a time, who closely guard the exact recipe at their distillation facility located in the French Alps.