• Category: arak (on the basis of grapes)
• Alcohol: 53%
• Origin: Lebanon
• Manufacturer: Chateau Musar
• Bought at: Ton Overmars, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Chateau Musar is one of the best known Lebanese wineries, and they also make a high quality arak. The smell is outspoken aniseed, and rather spicy, because the sweet hints that usually accompany the smell of aniseed are absent. It also smells quite alcoholic, maybe because of the same reason. The taste is also spicier and less sweet, and more complex. These characteristics might well be related to the fact that it is distilled four times, whereas three times is more usual. But it could also be related to the fact that it has aged for a year in terracotta jars. In either case this extra attention is a good investment. According to the description of Chateau Musar it can also be drunk pure. Even though it is less harsh than other araks, I still find it too strong to drink it pure. In any case it gets the highest rating so far: 8.5/10.

External link: Chateau Musar official site

• Category: brandy
• Alcohol: 30%
• Origin: Egypt
• Manufacturer: United Distillery Group
• Bought at: Liquor store, Cairo, Egypt

This small bottle contains some kind of brandy, or distilled wine. The alcohol level is lower than regular brandies and it also tastes quite weak, similar to watered down whisky. Despite of this it tastes nice and smooth; it gives a pleasant finish. The most interesting of this drink is the bottle: for some reason the bottle says brand (in English and Arabic) instead of brandy. Also it has a line of text in Greek on it, which appears to mean “old distillation”. 7/10.

• Category: rum
• Alcohol: 32%
• Origin: Egypt
• Manufacturer: United Distillery Group
• Bought at: Liquor store, Cairo, Egypt

Rum Zottos is not as strong as proper rum, and indeed it does taste rather weak, as if it is diluted. Nevertheless it does smell rather spicy, and after a few sips it gets (probably not surprisingly) better. The taste is pretty nice and pleasant, albeit rather shallow. It is nice in cola as well. The label is also very interesting with an image of an exotic looking half naked Caribbean male model. I have also seen a label with a female model. The rum on both bottles is presumably the same. It gets 7/10.

• Category: fig brandy (flavored with aniseed)
• Alcohol: 36%
• Origin: France
• Manufacturer: Thivolet Universal
• Bought at: Naouri kosher supermarket, Nice, France

Mahia (which means water of life in Arabic) is originally a Jewish Moroccan fig brandy. As the Anisette Phénix, it is now produced in France. Nevertheless other brands are still available in Morocco (see the second external link). It apparently exists either as a pure eau de vie of figs (as the Tunisian Boukha) or flavored with aniseed. This Mahia Meknesiah is flavored with aniseed, but it is very subtle, completely unlike arak, pastis or ouzo where anise is overwhelming. In any case the aroma is rather similar to boukha, but it is much fruitier en more fragrant. The taste is also much better than boukha. It should definitely not be diluted with water. It tastes fresh and fruity and the anise flavor gives a very nice and subtle touch. 8,5/10.

External link: M.G. Taieb Kosher Products
External link: Dafina Forums: Mahia (in French)

• Category: anisette
• Alcohol: 45%
• Origin: France
• Manufacturer: M.G. Taïeb Distillateurs
• Bought at: Jewish butcher shop, Marseille, France

Anisette Phénix originally is an Algerian Jewish aperitive now produced in France. It is particularly associated with Jewish pieds-noirs, European colonists with French citizenship in Algeria. At some point in time in the twentieth century production moved from Algeria to France due to the unstable situation in Algeria, especially for Jews. According to the French Wikipedia Algerian anisette is made of star anise, just as French pastis and Italian Sambuca, but unlike the Arabic drinks as arak and zibib which is made of aniseed. According to the bottle it is made by macerating anise grains in a neutral grain spirit and subsequently distilling it. It is very sweet because of the added sugar (it is sweeter than pastis; arak is unsweetened) and it should be diluted with water. This liqueur is a nice drink, but I find it rather unimaginative because of its sweetness. 6/10.

External link: M.G. Taieb Kosher Products
External link: Wikipedia: Pied-Noir

• Category: arak (on the basis of raisins)
• Alcohol: 35%
• Origin: Egypt
• Manufacturer: Salt and Pepper
• Bought at: Liquor store, Cairo, Egypt

Zibib is an Egyptian aniseed flavoured drink. Contrary to arak, which is made of pomace, zibib is made of raisins. The aroma is not as strong as arak, and it contains less alcohol (35% in zibib, and 53% in arak), but the quality is rather good compared to the other Egyptian spirits I tried. Nevertheless it is a few steps below proper arak. Last summer in Yemen, I became very fluent in Arabic after some of these drinks with a fellow student. Still it does not get more than 6/10.

• 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.

• Category: arak (presumably on the basis of grapes or sugar)
• Alcohol: 48%
• Origin: Lebanon
• Manufacturer: Factory for Alcoholic Drinks
• Bought at: Mesopotamian restaurant, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Arak Laytany is one of the cheapest brands available, and this is clearly reflected in the quality. It tastes very simple and even a little chemically, and I suspect it is either not made of fermented grapes (or not entirely), but on sugar or some other product. It also seems sweeter than proper arak. Better buy a different brand. 5/10.