The Allure of Mastiha, Greece’s Prized Resin Spirit

Anise-flavored spirits can be polarizing—you either love or hate offerings like sambuca, pastis and absinthe. Greeks, however, are firmly in the love category. While ouzo is typically the first drink that comes to mind, they’re also partial to mastiha, a semi-sweet, piquant and uniquely invigorating liqueur worth discovering. Though anise-free, mastiha is sometimes described as having a flavor that combines fennel, anise and mint.