Raki

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Alcohol volume of raki: 45°

Discover raki — Best raki brands

Refer to the opinions of chefs, sommeliers and bartenders of starred gourmet restaurants worldwide to discover the best raki brands in the world. A ranking and comparison of the most highly valued raki brands and bottles in starred gourmet restaurants by experts specialising in haute cuisine.

Raki reference / Origin of raki / Alcohol volume of raki Raki Yeni / Turkey / 45° The best rakis on the wine lists of starred gourmet restaurants. — Raki

Raki is an alcoholic beverage originating from the Ottoman Empire, in territories now occupied by Turkey and Greece. Raki is precisely an aromatic wine spirit.

Raki may also be called tsipouro, tsipoudia, tsikoudia (Greece), Zivania (Cyprus), suma (Rhodes and Chios), arak or grappa depending on the Mediterranean region.

The origins of raki date back to the Ottoman Empire. The first productions of raki are found in the 14th century. The first productions of raki are said to have been made by the monks of Mount Athos in northern Greece. At that time, raki was also produced from grape pomace, which was distilled. Subsequently, raki consumption developed in Greece, Turkey and Crete. The method of producing ouzo has remained the same over time, but the components used for its production have evolved.

Raki is considered the national drink of Turkey. Raki is mainly consumed in Turkey and Greece, especially in Crete. A distinction is made between Greek raki, Turkish raki and Cretan raki. Cretan raki is anise-free, unlike Turkish and Greek raki.

Besides Turkey, raki is also consumed in Albania, Kosovo, the Balkans, the Caucasus, Armenia and the Near East.

The term raki may have several origins. The name raki could come from Iraq, where it may have originally been produced. Other sources claim the word raki comes from the razaki grape variety, which is part of the beverage's composition. A final explanation is that the word raki comes from the Arabic عرق [ʕaraq], meaning distilled. Arak meaning to sweat in Arabic, and Araki meaning what makes you sweat, are said to be the origins of the word raki. Indeed, heavy raki consumption can promote sweating, and the drop-by-drop distillation step recalls this perspiration phenomenon.

Raki production

Raki is produced from wine by-products, notably grape pomace. The grape variety used for raki is most often razaki. However, no legislation imposes a specific grape variety for raki production.

The composition of raki differs depending on the region of production. Turkish raki and Greek raki contain anise. Anise is added in seed form during the fermentation of grape pomace. Cretan raki, on the other hand, does not contain anise.

Today, only Greek raki or tsikoudia is protected by the European Union, which considers as authentic only rakis produced in Crete. Producers of raki with anise may use the anise varieties (green anise or star anise) of their choice.

The first step in producing raki consists of fermenting the grape flesh for several months in a Kazani (traditional kettle). For versions with anise, anise seeds are added during this step. This step is traditionally called suma. This process produces grape pomace (a mixture of juice, flesh, skin and grape seeds). This pomace is fermented so the sugar transforms into alcohol, then distilled in a still to obtain a more alcohol-concentrated liquid. A raki may be distilled up to three times before being bottled in 70cl flasks.

Two varieties of raki are distinguished:

Yeni rakı or new raki: this variety has a 45% alcohol content. 65% of the alcohol comes from grape distillation. Yeni raki or new raki is the basic version of raki.

Altınbaş rakı, golden head or kulüp rakı (club): this variety has a 50% alcohol content. All of the alcohol comes from grape distillation. Altınbaş rakı, golden head or kulüp rakı (club) is the premium version of raki.

Raki productions come mainly from Turkey, Greece or Bulgaria. The Turkish city of Tekirdağ, in Thrace (a region belonging to Turkey, Greece and Bulgaria), serves as the raki capital.

Today most raki productions are industrial. However, artisanal raki productions still exist.

Raki is a popular and financially accessible alcoholic beverage. The price of a quality bottle of raki is between €20 and €50. Artisanal raki being more expensive than industrial raki.

There are several raki distilleries. There are also numerous raki brands such as Anadolu, Burgaz, Efe, Sati-Zeybek, Tekidarg Rakisi Altin, Topkapi or Yeni. In Turkey, the company Tekel (meaning monopoly) was a state company that exclusively produced raki on Turkish territory. Tekel was privatised in 2004.

Raki consumption

Raki is mainly enjoyed as an aperitif and sometimes as a digestif. However, it is traditionally drunk during meals in Turkey. A drink served chilled with or without ice, raki can be drunk neat or diluted with water. When raki is diluted with water, it can become a thirst-quenching drink due to its low alcohol content. In Turkey, where raki is familiarly called aslan sütü, meaning lion's milk, it is served in two cylindrical glasses, one glass containing the raki and the other containing water and ice, or sometimes, as in the Adana region of Turkey, şalgam suyu, a spicy beetroot juice. As an aperitif, raki is most often enjoyed diluted with water, while as a digestif it is drunk neat.

Raki is a low-sugar alcoholic beverage. It has anise aromas in its Greek and Turkish versions. When smelling raki, one detects a floral and vegetal nose.

Visually, raki has a translucent and crystalline appearance when pure. Raki has the particularity of whitening and becoming cloudy on contact with water. This is called the Ouzo effect (also known as louching or spontaneous emulsification), the formation of a milky-looking emulsion that occurs when water is added to ouzo or other anise-flavoured drinks (ouzo, anisette, pastis, arak, sambuca, absinthe...).

There are several drinks that share similarities with raki. Ouzo, the national drink of Greece, is also an anise-flavoured beverage. It is therefore similar to Greek and Turkish raki. However, its production method and composition differ slightly from those of raki. Ouzo is not fermented and is not produced from grape alcohol but from neutral alcohol of agricultural origin. As for Cretan raki, due to the absence of anise in its composition, it is reminiscent of Italian grappa.

Raki traditionally accompanies mezze, a traditional Mediterranean dish. Raki pairs well with fish such as sardines, octopus or anchovies, and seafood such as clams, mussels and scallops. Raki can also accompany fried vegetables such as aubergines or courgettes, and grilled meats. Condiments such as capers or gherkins also pair very well with raki. Some Cretan recipes and foods are inseparable from raki, such as Cretan paximadia (dry, hard shepherd's bread), koulouri (round bread covered with sesame seeds), tomato wedges or cucumber, olives, or local cheeses (graviera or feta).

In starred gourmet restaurants, raki appears on the wine lists of Greek and Turkish gourmet restaurants but also throughout the world on the menus of restaurants serving Greek, Turkish or Cretan cuisine. Raki appeals to chefs of starred restaurants for its history but also for its anise aroma. Raki is also used by some bartenders of gourmet restaurants as a cocktail ingredient.

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The selection of premium rakis

How are rakis selected on Bestwine • Online? Bestwine • Online lists the rakis present on the wine lists and in the cellars of the most famous and recognised gourmet restaurants throughout the world. Raki references endorsed by the greatest chefs and sommeliers of gastronomy, themselves valued by critics. Only raki references sold online are presented to you so you can buy them easily.

How is the reference of best rakis updated? The reference of best rakis is updated daily by integrating new references from the wine lists of gourmet restaurants made available to us. Likewise, we update commercial and promotional offers so you can buy a quality raki online at the best price. We are committed to presenting only raki references from the wine lists of award-winning gourmet restaurants.