Vodka and white sambuca over ice. Two ingredients, sharp anise, clean spirit. A short Italian-style aperitivo built like a Negroni cousin. Drinks straight up or over a single big rock. No fuss, no garnish required.
The Bucatini is a bold and intense cocktail that pairs the clean, smooth taste of vodka with the sweet, anise-flavored kick of white sambuca. This drink is perfect for those who enjoy a strong and aromatic cocktail with a distinctive flavor. The Bucatini is easy to prepare and offers a refined yet potent drink, making it ideal for a night out or a sophisticated evening at home.
In a cocktail shaker filled with shaved ice, pour 3 oz of vodka and 1.5 oz of white sambuca.
Shake Vigorously:
Shake vigorously until well chilled.
Strain and Serve:
Strain the mixture into a chilled martini glass.
Serve:
Serve immediately and enjoy the bold, smooth flavors of the Bucatini!
Notes
The Bucatini is a cocktail that offers a powerful combination of smooth and bold flavors. The vodka provides a clean, neutral base that allows the strong, sweet, and slightly spicy flavor of the white sambuca to shine. This cocktail is perfect for those who appreciate a drink with a bit of a kick and a unique taste.This cocktail is ideal for a variety of occasions, whether you’re enjoying a night out, hosting a dinner party, or simply indulging in a sophisticated drink at home. The Bucatini is versatile enough to be served as an aperitif or a nightcap.For the best experience, use high-quality vodka and white sambuca, and ensure the drink is well chilled before serving. The Bucatini is a bold and satisfying cocktail that’s sure to impress with its distinctive flavor and smooth finish.Join our Drink Buddy community today and explore more bold and flavorful cocktail recipes like the Bucatini!
Sambuca cocktails are uncommon outside Italy. The Bucatini is one of the few that travels. It pairs the high-proof anise sambuca with vodka to push the drink toward something stronger and drier than a sambuca neat.
Named after the Italian pasta, with the same straight-up no nonsense identity. Some bartenders pour it at room temperature and some over ice.
What it tastes like
Anise and licorice from the sambuca dominate, vodka stretches it out and stops it being too sweet. Cold from the freezer the drink reads almost minty. Warm and the anise turns into liquorice candy.
It is a sipping drink, not a quick shooter. Built short, drunk slow.
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Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
No sambuca?
Pernod, Pastis or Ouzo all work but the drink shifts.
Want it dryer?
Cut the sambuca by 10 ml and replace with extra vodka.
Want it sweeter?
Add 5 ml of simple syrup.
No vodka?
Gin works. Now it is closer to a Pastis martini.
Want it long?
Top with sparkling water. Now it is a Sambuca Highball.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
How strong is it?
Around 35 percent ABV. Sambuca is 38 to 42 percent and vodka is 40.
Why coffee beans?
The Italian sambuca tradition is to drop three coffee beans into a glass for luck and to bring out the anise. Optional in a Bucatini.
Can it be flamed?
Yes. Sambuca takes a flame for a few seconds. Long match, never lean over.
Why is it named after pasta?
Bartender humour. The drink is straightforward and round, like the bucatini noodle.
Garnish?
Three coffee beans floated, or none. Twist of lemon optional.
DL
From the Drink Lab catalogue
Drink Lab has been collecting cocktail recipes since 2013. Some we wrote ourselves, plenty came in from readers, and the rest got passed across a bar somewhere along the way.
