If You Love Licorice, Try This Ancient Spirit

A Middle Eastern spirit, arak is rumored to be the first of its kind. According to some, the drink was created in the 8th century when Arab academic Jabir Ibn Hayyen invented the first alembic pot — a copper contraption consisting of two vessels and a conjoining tube used for distillation. After a series of experiments using grapes and aniseed, the story goes, the first drops of the spirit were made. 

“In reality, this may not be entirely true,” says Fred Abi Khalil, co-owner of Arak Farid.“Different sources claim that alcohol distillation originated in other regions, and that is ok. We do not need to confirm that arak is the oldest for it to be the best.” 

Abi Khalil says the drink spread across the Middle East and gradually made its way to Europe. Similar licorice-flavored spirits, such as Turkish raki and French pastis, were supposedly inspired by arak.“Artisans started to forge their own alembic pots out of copper and sell them to people to use as home distillers,” he says. “Today, many families in remote villages still make their own batches during the winter period.”

Jess Kandalaft, co-owner of Arak Farid, explains that sharing the drink with others is key to its appeal. “Our aim is to promote the culture and history of the spirit, which has become an integral part of the regional Levant identity,” she says.

What is arak? 

Arak was historically made using wine leftover from the winter period, which would be distilled ahead of the summer. As the drink became more popular, artisans started to make specialty wine specifically for use in arak production.

“We use local white grape varieties to make the wine. They are sourced, crushed, fermented, and pressed in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley.” says Kandalaft. “We triple distill the alcohol in an alembic pot over a direct fire. The liquid is then concentrated and purified before we infuse it with Syrian aniseed.” 

Ramzi Ghosn, owner of Massaya Lebanon, a Lebanese winery based in the Bekaa Valley, explains the importance of triple distilling arak.

“In Lebanon, arak is the official national drink, and we have a law that [it] must be triple distilled,” says Ghosn. “The word arak literally means sweating in Arabic, and good quality spirit is made drop by drop over a low fire.”

The end product is a strong, clear liquid. Traditionally, the spirit is blended with water and ice. Upon adding the water, a chemical reaction occurs and the mixture turns white. Owing to its appearance and strength, arak is affectionately known as “lion’s milk” throughout the region.

What does arak taste like?

Primarily designed to cleanse the taste buds, arak has a soft, smooth profile. 

“The licorice taste is actually relatively subtle in a good quality arak,” says Ramzi. “The flavors are round and fulfilling, with an overall freshness coming from the ice it is served alongside.” 

Kandalaft says that many drinkers find the aniseed flavor of arak polarizing. “In reality, it is actually very light,” she says. “At Farid, we focus on marrying the flavors of the grape with the aniseed, so both aspects shine through.”

How to drink arak

Arak is typically enjoyed by mixing one part of the spirit with two parts water. The drink is then topped with ice.

“The pH of arak makes it well-suited to flavors that are sometimes harder to match with wine, [like] parsley, raw tomatoes, lemon, mint, and garlic,” says Ghosn. “This means it compliments classic mezze dishes perfectly.”

“People have become a little more experimental in recent times and use the spirit in cocktails. I have even mixed it with watermelon and grapefruit juices,” says Kandalaft, “Though of course, regional lovers of the drink would say this takes away from the subtle licorice flavors.”

The best arak to try

For those who may feel inspired to add a bottle or two to their liquor cabinets, here are some arak selections experts recommend trying.

• Massaya Lebanon: Made using Obeidi grapes and organic aniseed, Arak El Massaya is triple distilled over vine wood embers in traditional Moorish lid copper stills. Left to age for at least one year in an ancient clay amphora, Massaya’s arak is unfiltered and rich. 
• Arak Farid: Distilled in Ain Jouaiya, Lebanon, Farid specializes in creating smooth, aromatic arak. The producer also experiments with cinnamon, thyme, and lavender-infused versions of the spirit.
• Arak Muaddi: A family-owned Palestinian distillery, Arak Muaddi is a low-volume, seasonal producer. Their grapes are sourced from western Bethlehem and northern Hebron, their aniseed comes from Raba and Jenin, and their clay amphorae are handmade in Hebron. The result is a high-quality spirit that’s light in profile. 
• Domaine des Tourelles: Produced in the Bekaa Valley, Domaine des Tourelles’ Arak Brun expressions vary depending on how long the spirit has been aged; their 5-year reserve is fresh and smooth, and the 10-year reserve is slightly more refined.