Arak (liqueur)

Arak

Arak with water and ice
Type	Spirit
Region of origin	Levant, Eastern Mediterranean
Alcohol by volume	40–63%
Proof (US)	80–126
Colour	Transparent
Ingredients	Anise
Related products	Rakı, Absinthe, Ouzo, Pastis, Sambuca, Aragh Sagi

Arak or araq (Arabic: عرق‎‎) is a Levantine alcoholic spirit (~40–63% Alc. Vol./~80–126 proof, commonly 50% Alc. Vol./100 proof) in the anis drinks family. It is a clear, colorless, unsweetened anise-flavored distilled alcoholic drink. The Persian (Iranian) version of Arak (commonly called Arak Saggi) does not contain anise, as it is usually produced from ‌raisins, dates or saccharum plant. Arak is the traditional alcoholic beverage in the Arab world, especially in the Levant/Mashriq and also in the Maghreb, as well in Iran and Turkey.

The word arak comes from Arabic ʿaraq , meaning 'perspiration'.

Its pronunciation varies depending on local varieties of Arabic: [ʕaˈraʔ], [ʕaˈraɡ]. Arak is not to be confused with the similarly named liquor, arrack (which in some cases, such as in Indonesia—especially Bali, also goes by the name arak). Another similar-sounding word is , which in Armenia, Iran, Azerbaijan and Georgia is the colloquial name of vodka, and not an aniseed-flavored drink. Rakı, mastika, and ouzo are aniseed-flavored alcoholic drinks, related to arak, popular in Turkey, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Greece respectively.