An anise-flavored alcoholic beverage popular in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean, typically clear but turns cloudy when mixed with water. Also spelled araq.
From Arabic عَرَق (ʿaraq), literally meaning 'sweat,' referring to the condensation in the distillation process. The drink is traditional throughout the Levant and is considered the national drink of Lebanon. The word is closely related to arrack but refers to a specific anise-flavored spirit.
Arak and arrack share the same 'sweating' etymology, but arak specifically became the anise-flavored 'milk of lions' beloved across the Levant! When mixed with water, it turns milky white, creating a ritual that's remained unchanged for over a thousand years.
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