• Category: date brandy
• Alcohol: 43%
• Origin: Tunisia
• Manufacturer: Sté. Sarab S.A.R.L.
• Bought at: Tunis Airport, Tunisia (thanks Peter and Wanda!)

Sarab is a company which makes dates brandies (two variants) and dates liqueur (also two variants) mainly for the German market. I have not seen it for sale in Tunisia proper (outside the airports). This is the top-grade brandy variant, with a higher alcohol percentage. It is fairly strong and quite syrupy if cooled. Fragrance of dates are clearly distinguishable. Too bad that it is so hard to come by, or that there are no other producers. Apparently it is also good in cocktails, but I have not tried it. 8/10.

External link: Sarab German site

• Category: arak (on the basis of dates)
• Alcohol: unknown, presumably around 33%
• Origin: Egypt
• Manufacturer: Meliniotis
• Bought at: Liquor store, Cairo, Egypt

This is a bottle of Egyptian arak on the basis of fermented dates, just as the Iraqi brands of arak. The bottle says “Arak, white drink. Bottled by Meliniotis, Made in Egypt” and that is it. The seller in Cairo told me the alcohol percentage is about 40%, but it does not taste that strong; I believe it is between 30% and 35%. It is probably sweetened. If diluted it becomes rather clear, and watery, unlike grape arak which turns milky white. Undiluted it is therefore better. Rather weak aniseed aroma, compared to proper arak. Unfortunately the taste is pretty artificial and chemical, and not very nice. But the bottle is cool and it gives a nice logo for a website on Arabic Liquor. 5/10.