Quick answer
Arrack and arak are different drinks. Sri Lankan arrack is distilled from fermented coconut flower sap, contains no aniseed and tastes like a light, floral rum. Arak, the traditional spirit of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine and Israel, is distilled from grapes and flavoured with aniseed, is usually 50 per cent alcohol or more, and turns cloudy white when water is added. Both names come from the Arabic word araq. Indonesian arak, including Balinese arak, is a third, unrelated palm or rice spirit.
Key takeaways
- Sri Lankan arrack is a coconut sap spirit with no aniseed; Levantine arak is a grape spirit flavoured with aniseed.
- Arak turns milky white when mixed with water, an effect called the louche; arrack stays clear.
- Arak is usually bottled at roughly 50 to 60 per cent ABV, well above arrack at 33 to 40 per cent.
- Both words derive from the Arabic araq, a term for distilled spirit that spread along trade routes.
- Balinese and other Indonesian arak is a separate local spirit made from palm sap or rice.
Arrack vs arak: the essential difference
Arrack and arak share a root word and almost nothing else. One belongs to the coconut coast of Sri Lanka and the other to the vineyards of the eastern Mediterranean.
- →Base: coconut flower sap for arrack; grapes for arak.
- →Flavouring: none for arrack; aniseed for arak.
- →Colour: gold to amber for arrack; clear for arak, white with water.
- →Strength: 33 to 40 per cent for arrack; roughly 50 to 60 per cent for arak.
- →Served: with soda, ginger beer or neat; with water and ice alongside food.
What Sri Lankan arrack is
Sri Lankan arrack is made by tapping the flowers of coconut palms, letting the sap ferment naturally into toddy and distilling it. Better arracks are aged in vats of halmilla, a local hardwood, and take on a golden colour.
Sri Lankan arrack tastes soft, floral and lightly nutty. Nothing is added for flavour in a pure coconut arrack, and there is no liquorice or fennel note of any kind.
What Levantine arak is
Levantine arak is made by distilling wine from local grapes, then redistilling the spirit with aniseed. Traditional producers rest it in clay jars for a year or so before bottling.
Arak is clear and strong, and it is always diluted, usually one part arak to two parts water, with ice added last. The water makes the anise oils cloud into a white haze. It is the drink of long mezze lunches, taken slowly with small plates.
Why the names are so similar
The names are similar because both descend from araq, an Arabic word often translated as sweat or perspiration, which described the beads of condensed spirit in a still. Traders carried the term east and west.
Araq became a general word for distilled liquor across a wide region. It lives on in Levantine arak, Turkish raki, Mongolian arkhi, Indonesian arak and the arrack of South Asia. English spellings were never standardised, which is why both arak and arrack appear on labels.
Other drinks called arak or arrack
Other drinks called arak or arrack add to the confusion, and travellers moving around Asia meet several of them.
- →Balinese arak: a local spirit from palm sap or rice, often home-distilled.
- →Batavia arrack: a Javanese spirit from sugarcane molasses and red rice.
- →Indian arrack: a term for country liquor from various bases.
- →Mongolian arkhi: traditionally a milk-based spirit.
- →Sri Lankan arrack: the coconut spirit, and palmyrah arrack in the north.
What to expect when you order arrack in Sri Lanka
Ordering arrack in Sri Lanka means receiving the coconut spirit every time. Aniseed spirits are not part of the island's drinking culture, and imported arak, ouzo or raki is rare outside a few hotel bars.
Lankan Stays & Trails guides are used to explaining the difference to guests from the Middle East and the Mediterranean, and can suggest the serve that sits closest to how you drink at home.
- →Choose arrack with soda and lime if you like a long, dry drink with food.
- →Choose an aged arrack neat if you want to taste the spirit itself.
- →Do not expect arrack to cloud with water or to taste of anise.
Frequently asked questions
Is arrack the same as arak?
No. Sri Lankan arrack is a coconut flower sap spirit with no added flavouring. Arak from Lebanon, Syria and neighbouring countries is a grape spirit flavoured with aniseed. They share only a common Arabic root word and a history of trade.
Does Sri Lankan arrack taste like aniseed?
No. Sri Lankan arrack has no aniseed, liquorice or fennel flavour. It tastes floral, lightly sweet and nutty, closer to a light rum or a young brandy. Travellers expecting something like arak, ouzo or raki will find it entirely different.
Why does arak turn white and arrack does not?
Arak contains aniseed oils that dissolve in strong alcohol but not in water. Adding water forces them out of solution as tiny droplets, creating a milky haze. Sri Lankan arrack contains no such oils, so it stays clear when diluted.
Is Bali arak the same as Sri Lankan arrack?
No. Balinese arak is a local Indonesian spirit distilled from palm sap or rice, often on a small scale. Sri Lankan arrack is made from coconut flower sap by licensed distilleries under excise control. They are separate traditions with a shared name.
Where does the word arrack come from?
Arrack comes from the Arabic araq, usually translated as sweat or perspiration, a reference to the droplets of spirit that condense in a still. The word spread along Indian Ocean and overland trade routes and was attached to many different local spirits.
Can you get arak in Sri Lanka?
Levantine arak is not commonly sold in Sri Lanka. A few international hotel bars may stock an aniseed spirit, but do not rely on it. The local spirit is coconut arrack, which is widely available except on poya days.