There are two types of anisette. A liquor made from anise (pimprenelle anisum) traditionnal in Italy, often served neat as a side order with coffee. Anisetta Meletti is a known brand.
A spirit perfumed with star anise seeds the fruit of chinese badiane (Illicium verum) often served on the rocks possibly with extra water, often as an apéritif (before meal), very common under different names all around Mediterranean sea.