Chateau Ksara 'Ksarak' Arak

Ksarak is the arak of Château Ksara, Lebanon's largest winery, founded by Jesuit monks in the Bekaa Valley in 1857. It starts as an eau-de-vie made from the indigenous Obeidi grape and is triple distilled, the later distillations taking place in a dedicated alembic with fresh green aniseed sourced from Al Heeneh on the slopes of Mount Hermon. Only the heart of the distillate is kept, and the spirit then rests for around 28 months in traditional hand-made clay jars. Bottled at 53% ABV in a 750ml bottle; it turns milky white when diluted with water.

Nose: Pronounced anise and liquorice with complex herbal notes.

Palate: Spicy, with liquorice, pepper and fennel over a medium body.

Finish: Herbal and spicy.

Serve: The traditional serve is one part arak to two parts water, with ice added last, alongside mezze.