Pastis and ouzo taste like licorice due to the anise. The Italian licorice tasting stuff would be sambuca.Grappa tastes more like,oh let's say Ronsonol.
At least that's been my experience during a memorable visit to Taranto,Italy.The grappa went down pretty rough,but it refueled my Zippo too!
He goes up to the counter and he couldn't connect language-wise, and he sees a grappa (or similar) poster with
a picture of a grape (grapefruit?). He points, says "grappa". The counter guy repeats "grappa"? He nods.
He said he knew he was in trouble when the other customers start edging closer, and the counter guy turns in to a
bartender, and pours out a measure. He said he felt committed at that point, with everybody looking at him, and
he downed the beverage.
The bartender ended up giving him some carbonated apple juice, or whatever.