Rakı

Rakı, Türk Rakısı or Turkish Raki (/rɑːˈkiː/, Turkish pronunciation: [ɾaˈkɯ] ^ⓘ) is an alcoholic beverage made of twice-distilled grape pomace and flavored with aniseed. It is a national drink of Turkey, and it is especially popular in the coastal regions. Among drinkers of alcoholic beverages, it is popular in Turkic countries and Caucasian countries as an apéritif. It is often served with seafood or meze. It is comparable to several other anise-flavored liqueurs such as pastis, ouzo, sambuca and arak. The alcoholic content of rakı must be at least 40% according to Turkish standard. The largest producer of raki is Diageo, which operates in Turkey through its subsidiary Mey İçki (acquired in 2011); Yeni Rakı is the largest brand. Rakı has been a registered geographical indication in Turkey since 2009, granting it legal protection as a spirit produced exclusively from Turkish-grown grapes and anise.

In many East Mediterranean and Balkan countries, the term raki is widely used to describe similar distilled alcoholic beverages. This shared terminology dates back to the Ottoman Empire, where "raki" became a generic term for distilled spirits. During Ottoman rule, the word spread across the empire's territories. In many of these regions, the term raki or rakia is still used to describe grape-based pomace brandies or other spirits, often with regional variations in production methods and flavour profiles. For example, in Turkey, rakı is flavoured with anise and is distinctively served diluted with water, creating a milky-white appearance. Similarly, in the Balkans, rakija (or its linguistic variants such as ракия in Bulgarian, ракија in Serbian, and rakija in Croatian) is a general term for fruit-based brandies, with local variations like plum, pear, or apricot based liquors.

In Crete, tsikoudia is also sometimes referred to informally as raki, particularly in the eastern parts of the island. This reflects the linguistic and cultural legacy of Ottoman influence in the region. Unlike the Turkish rakı, Cretan raki (tsikoudia) is not flavoured with anise and undergoes a single distillation, retaining the natural flavour of the grape pomace.