Variations
Numerous varieties of arak are popular in all the countries bordering the Mediterranean. In the Levant (Israel, Palestinian Authority, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria) it is distilled from fermented grape juice or, at times, sugar, and is considered by the inhabitants to be greatly superior to similar hard liquors in other countries. Other similar drinks are the arak of Iraq, made from fermented date juice, and the zibib of Egypt, a peasant-made drink. The same spirit is called Ouzo in Greece, Mastika in Republic of Macedonia and Bulgaria and Rakı in Turkey; they are made from a variety of products like grain, molasses, plums, figs and potatoes. An Iranian variant called Aragh-e Sagi (Persian: ﻋﺮﻕ ﺳﮕﯽ, literally dog's sweat) is produced without anise, and has a higher alcohol content than other varieties.
Further west, along the northern shores of the Mediterranean, anisette, French pastis and Spanish ojén, served as aperitifs or refreshers, are all sweeter versions of arak.
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