Arrack

Arak, or raki is a family of clear spirits produced in a range from the Balkans to Indonesia. It is possibly the very first distilled spirit, with some sources claiming that it was made in India in 800 BC, and documentary evidence of a clear, fiery spirit on the Indian subcontinent and in the South Pacific goes back many centuries.

The base material for Arak varies depending on the region. In Indonesia, sugar cane juice or rice is used. In India, palm tree sap is common. In North Africa and the Middle East, dates and figs are often added, and in Greece and Cyprus, grape wine and raisins are used.

The most commonly-encountered variant of arak is raki, which is flavored with aniseed and produced in Greece and Turkey. Some is cask aged but much is served young and raw, with an alcohol by volume as high as 50%. Greek and Cypriot arak is often flavored with figs, dates, grapes, raisins and plums. Arrack is also a key ingredient in Swedish punsch, a popular liqueur.

Arak derives from the Arabic word for juice or sap, araq.

Arak is generally served at room temperature, neat, as a single-shot serving in glassware suitable for sipping. If served as an aperitif, cubed ice can be used.

Around the Mediterranean, raki is usually served as an aperitif. The more mellow varieties can be used as an after-dinner drink.