🥃 Rakı

Rakı is the national aniseed spirit of Türkiye, built on grape alcohol: suma, distilled from grapes or raisins, is redistilled with aniseed in copper stills holding up to 5,000 litres. At least 65% of the alcohol in the still must be suma, and strength starts at 40% ABV. In Türkiye, «Rakı» has been a registered designation of origin since 2009.

Suma is a grape distillate made only in Türkiye from fresh or dried Turkish grapes in column and/or pot stills, at no more than 94.5% ABV. The rest of the alcohol in the still, up to 35%, may be agricultural ethyl alcohol. The aniseed (Pimpinella anisum) must also be grown in Türkiye, and a litre of rakı must contain at least 800 mg of anethole from it.

Distilling a 5,000-litre still takes about 48 hours: the heads and tails are separated, and the heart at 70–80% ABV is reduced with water. Flavourings, colourings and other additives are banned; sugar may be only refined white sugar, up to 10 g/l. Before bottling, rakı rests for at least a month in steel tanks or oak casks. The term «fresh grape rakı» (yaş üzüm rakısı) is allowed only if all the alcohol is suma from fresh grapes.

The specification links rakı to the Ottoman «arak»: the first industrial brands in sealed bottles appeared in the 1880s, and in 1942 production became a state monopoly that ended in 2004. Grapes used for suma include Sultana, Razaki, Emir, Narince and Kalecik Karası.

Why it matters to you. The word «Rakı» with the designation emblem on the bottle means that the grapes, the aniseed and the whole production are Turkish. Rakı turns white with water because anethole dissolves poorly in diluted alcohol, and too little anethole delays the whitening. The WHO: there is no safe level of alcohol.