Al Mimas Arak

Al Mimas is Syria's most famous arak, and for decades it was one half of the country's entire market — Al Mimas along the coast and central and eastern Syria, Al Rayan around Damascus, together accounting for roughly 85% of national sales. It's made in a Christian village near Zaidal in the Homs governorate, distilled three times from wine spirit fermented with al-Ubaidi grapes, Syria's traditional indigenous variety, then infused with anise seed from Heyna. Bottled at 100 proof (50% ABV). As the company's director general put it, "Arak in Syria is like whisky in Scotland or wine in France — there's a bottle on every table." Expect a potent, aromatic licorice character, semi-sweet but with more refinement than most anise spirits, a complex nose that never turns overwhelming, and a long, balanced, lingering finish. Serve it the traditional Levantine way: one part arak to two or three parts cold water, poured before the ice so it clouds properly into its milky white, alongside a full mezze spread — hummus, tabbouleh, grilled meats, olives, and white cheese. A genuine piece of Syrian culture in a bottle.

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