There’s a reason you’re seeing more cocktails with arak on drinks menus these days — the fragrant, centuries-old Levantine spirit is enjoying a bit of a renaissance and reintroduction right now in America, and some Atlanta bars are ready for the arak revival.
Arak (sometimes spelled arrak, araq) only has two ingredients: anise seeds and grapes made into grape brandy. The flavor is bold, spicy, and slightly minty (think licorice) with a seductively oily finish, refreshing the palate with each sip. Arak is clear when poured on its own. Add a splash of water, however, and it turns hazy white. The essential oil of anise seed is soluble in alcohol, and not in water. When water is added, arak goes through a transformation called louching, turning the color of the spirit opaque.
This highly aromatic spirit is said to have first been distilled around the 12th century, with deep roots in Lebanon, Palestine, Armenia, Jordan, and Syria. Some believe arak is the earliest of such flavored spirits ever created.
The very first time I tried arak was with Jason Bajalia, who owns Levant-focused wine importer and distributor Terra Sancta Trading Company. The pour Bajalia gave me to taste was from the Palestinian distillery Muaddi Craft Distillery, considered one of the finest arak makers in the world. The aroma and taste sent me back to my roots in India. It was reminiscent of the sweet fennel often served after meals in India to help cleanse the palate. But Bajalia says arak isn’t just another digestif.
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“You drink it throughout your meal,” he says. “Eating mazza [appetizers] on a Sunday at mom’s house, you generally begin with fresh vegetables, then cold dips and cheese. Then, you move on to warm dips, hot and grilled meats,” Bajalia continues. “You drink arak in between to cleanse your palate through courses. That’s my favorite…
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