🥃 Mistrà
Mistrà is a dry, aromatic anise spirit from Marche, Italy: a traditional name, not protected in the EU. In southern Marche a little is added to coffee. Check the ABV and ingredients on the label.
If you know ouzo or sambuca, mistrà is the Marche answer to the same anise idea, but dry rather than sweet. It is a dry, aromatic anise spirit from the Italian region of Marche, drunk in small portions; in southern Marche a little is traditionally added to coffee. The name is traditional: no entry called Mistrà exists in the EU register of geographical indications, so it is not a protected name.
Origin and making. Italy's national tourism portal places mistrà in the countryside of southern Marche, between Piceno and Fermo. There families distilled surplus wine in copper stills and flavoured the spirit with their own recipes, so there is no single recipe: each town and producer has its own balance. The portal contrasts it with the anisetta of Ascoli Piceno, which it calls softer.
Legal category. Regulation (EU) 2019/787 sets separate categories for anise-flavoured spirit drinks: an aniseed-flavoured spirit drink must have at least 15% ABV, and an anis at least 35% ABV. Because "Mistrà" is not a protected name, the producer decides the composition and strength, so check the ABV and the ingredients on the label.
Why this matters to you. A dry anise spirit is strong even when it is served in a small glass or added to coffee. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| EU category | anise-flavoured spirit drinks are categories 25 and 28 of Regulation (EU) 2019/787 |
|---|---|
| Raw material | spirit, traditionally distilled from wine, flavoured with anise |
| Legal basis | no protected name in the EU register |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Mistrà → kind of → 🌿 Anise spirits → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Made from
- 🥃 Anise
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Related to
- ☕ Coffee, 📍 Marche
- Traditions
- 🧑🤝🧑 Italians
- Part of
- 🌿 Anise spirits, 🥃 Aniseed-flavoured spirit drink
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Ouzo, 🌿 Sambuca
Frequently asked questions
What is mistrà, and how is it different from anisetta?
Mistrà is a dry, aromatic anise spirit from the Italian region of Marche. Italy's tourism portal contrasts it with the anisetta of Ascoli Piceno, which it calls softer.
Is "Mistrà" a protected name in the EU?
No. The EU register of geographical indications has no such entry, so the producer decides the composition and strength.
Where does mistrà come from?
From the countryside of southern Marche, between Piceno and Fermo, where families distilled surplus wine in copper stills and flavoured it with their own recipes.
How is mistrà drunk?
In small portions, or a little is added to coffee in southern Marche.
What ABV does mistrà have?
There is no fixed figure, because the name is not protected. EU rules set at least 15% ABV for an aniseed-flavoured spirit drink and at least 35% for an anis, so check the label.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🧑🤝🧑 Italians — The people of Italy; their cuisine rests on wine, olive oil and cheese, and in 2025 the country made 44.4 million hectolitres of wine, the most in the world.
- 🍷 Drunk driving — Never drive after drinking wine: alcohol slows your reactions.
Similar
🥃 Distilled anis · 🌿 Pastis de Marseille · 🥃 Mastika · 🌿 Pastis · 🥃 Aniseed-flavoured spirit drink · 🥃 Anis
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Italia.it (Italian national tourism portal): Le Marche da bere - mistra is dry and aromatic, from the countryside of southern Marche (Piceno, Fermano); families distilled surplus wine in copper stills and flavoured it; no single recipe; used to 'correct' coffee; anisetta of Ascoli Piceno is softer
- eAmbrosia, EU register of geographical indications (spirit drinks): no entry named Mistra (register queried 07.11.2026)
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks, Annex I (legislation.gov.uk): cat. 25 aniseed-flavoured spirit drink (min. 15 % vol.), cat. 28 anis (min. 35 % vol.)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)