Rakñ, Türk Rakñsñ or Turkish Raki (, <small>Turkish pronunciation:</small> ) is an alcoholic beverage made of twice-distilled grape pomace and flavored with aniseed. It is a national drink of Turkey, and it is especially popular in the coastal regions. Among drinkers of alcoholic beverages, it is popular in Turkic countries and Caucasian countries as an apéritif. It is often served with seafood or meze. It is comparable to several other anise-flavored liqueurs such as pastis, ouzo, sambuca and arak. The alcoholic content of rakñ must be at least 40% according to Turkish standard. The largest producer of raki is Diageo, which operates in Turkey through its subsidiary Mey ðçki (acquired in 2011); Yeni Rakñ is the largest brand. Rakñ has been a registered geographical indication in Turkey since 2009, granting it legal protection as a spirit produced exclusively from Turkish-grown grapes and anise.
In many East Mediterranean and Balkan countries, the term raki is widely used to describe similar distilled alcoholic beverages. This shared terminology dates back to the Ottoman Empire, where "raki" became a generic term for distilled spirits. During Ottoman rule, the word spread across the empire's territories. In many of these regions, the term raki or rakia is still used to describe grape-based pomace brandies or other spirits, often with regional variations in production methods and flavour profiles. For example, in Turkey, rakñ is flavoured with anise and is distinctively served diluted with water, creating a milky-white appearance. Similarly, in the Balkans, rakija (or its linguistic variants such as ÃÂðúøàin Bulgarian, ÃÂðúøÃÂð in Serbian, and rakija in Croatian) is a general term for fruit-based brandies, with local variations like plum, pear, or apricot based liquors.
In Crete, tsikoudia is also sometimes referred to informally as raki, particularly in the eastern parts of the island. This reflects the linguistic and cultural legacy of Ottoman influence in the region. Unlike the Turkish rakñ, Cretan raki (tsikoudia) is not flavoured with anise and undergoes a single distillation, retaining the natural flavour of the grape pomace.
The term raki entered English from Turkish . The Arabic word ( ), means "distilled", other variants being araka, araki, ariki. The Teleuts, who are a Turkic ethnic group living in Siberia, use the term arakñ for wine and other alcoholic drinks. In Ancient Greek the grape was called ῥìþ ().
The literary historian Abdülbaki Gölpñnarlñ identified the earliest known use of the word "rakñ" in Turkish literature in the divan poet Fuzuli's mesnevi Beng ü Bâde, completed between 1510 and 1514, suggesting that rakñ has at least a 500-year documented history. In a Spanish manuscript written in 1567 by an anonymous author, later discovered in 1905 and published under the title Viaje de TurquÃÂa (The Voyage of Türkiye), rakñ is mentioned under the name raqui. The narrator, who had been a prisoner of the Ottomans between 1552 and 1556, recounts drinking rakñ for the first time during his escape on the island of Lemnos.
Where or when raki was first produced is unknown. It is first mentioned by the Ottoman explorer Evliya ÃÂelebi during his travels in 1630. In his Book of Travels he reports that ancient people produced their own raki in small towns.
Until the last decades of the 19th century, the production of raki was done exclusively "at home", ie there was no mass industrial production. Colorless alcoholic beverages had long been consumed throughout the Mediterranean, known by various names: tsipouro, raki, arak, grappa. These are distilled from the by-products of wine, exploiting the vineyard as much as possible.
In the Ottoman Empire, until the 19th century, meyhanes run by Rûm (Greeks) and Albanians would mainly serve wine along with meze, due to religious restrictions imposed by various sultans.
During this period, rakñ was produced by distillation of grape pomace () obtained during wine fermentation. When the amount of pomace was not sufficient, alcohol imported from Europe would be added. If aniseed was not added, it would take the name ('straight rakñ'), whereas rakñ prepared with the addition of gum mastic was named ('gum rakñ') or ().
Some people state that the alcoholic beverage of Raki was made in eastern Anatolia from figs and other fruits that tasted like grapes. This alternative recipe in raki and raki culture was made due to certain economic challenges.
With the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the establishment of the modern-day Republic of Turkey, grape-based rakñ began to be distilled by the state-owned spirits monopoly Tekel, with the first factory production taking place in 1944 in ðzmir. With increasing sugar beet production, Tekel also began to distill the alcohol from molasses, and a new brand of raki made from sugar-beet alcohol was introduced under the name ('new rakñ'). Molasses gave a distinctive bitter taste and helped increase the drink's popularity.
Today, with increased competition from the private sector, and the privatization of Tekel in 2004, several new brands and types of raki have emerged, each with its own distinct composition and production method, although the overall qualities of the drink have generally been kept consistent. These include , , , , , , and . , another recent brand, is aged in oak casks, which gives it a distinctive golden colour. Diageo Türkiye has also expanded its portfolio to include newer brands such as , , , , and , several of which are craft rakñs developed at the company's innovation centre Yenilikhane in Alaà Âehir.
According to a 2025 Ipsos study, whisky consumption in Turkey had risen by 155% since 2020, while rakñ consumption grew by 31% in the same period. Despite this shift, rakñ remains the most-consumed traditional spirit in the country. Beer remains the most popular alcoholic beverage overall, with annual consumption reaching 1.2 billion litres. The study noted that gin and tequila were also gaining popularity, particularly among women.
Rakñ is regulated both as an alcoholic beverage under specific Turkish provisions and as a food product under general food regulations. In 2009, the Turkish Patent Institute registered the geographical indication of "rakñ," granting it legal protection as a product unique to Turkey. According to the geographical indication registration, rakñ's distinctive character derives solely from grapes and anise cultivated in Turkey.
The legal definition of rakñ was established with the amendment of Law No. 4250, which states: "Rakñ, produced by distilling suma, a grape-based distillate, or suma mixed with agriculturally derived ethyl alcohol, a second time with anise seeds in traditional copper stills with a capacity of 5,000 litres or less, must be produced in Türkiye, and at least 65% of the total alcohol in the product must be suma." The production process and raw material specifications are further detailed in the Turkish Food Codex Communiqué on Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (Communiqué no: 2016/55).
Raki is traditionally produced from raisin/grape spirit called suma that is distilled to a maximum of 94.55% abv. This spirit is not highly rectified spirit and unlike other flavoured spirits Raki producers consider that the suma has an important role to play in the flavour of Raki itself.
The suma, or suma mixed with highly rectified spirit, is diluted with water re-distilled with aniseed and the spirit is collected at around 79-80% abv. The flavoured distillate is diluted and sweetened and rested for minimum of 30 days prior to sale in order to allow the flavours to harmonize.
Diageo Türkiye operates an innovation centre called Yenilikhane in Alaà Âehir, which houses two 500-litre copper stills used for developing new rakñ formulas. As of 2025, nearly 200 formulas had been developed at the facility, with three craft products launched to market. These craft rakñs hold the distinction of being the first in the category of anise-flavoured beverages worldwide.
In Turkey, rakñ is the national alcoholic drink, it is traditionally consumed with chilled water on the side or partly mixed with chilled water, according to personal preference. Rakñ is rarely consumed without the addition of water. Ice cubes are often added. Dilution with water causes rakñ to turn a milky-white colour, similar to the louche of absinthe. This phenomenon has resulted in the drink being popularly referred to ('lion's milk'). Since ('lion') is a Turkish colloquial metaphor for a strong, courageous person, this gives the term a meaning close to 'the milk for the strong'.
Rakñ is commonly consumed at a rakñ sofrasñ ('rakñ table') or çilingir sofrasñ ('locksmith's table') alongside meze, a selection of hot and cold appetizers, as well as grilled fish. It can be served as dinner, or a late-night meal often shared with friends. It is especially popular with grilled or oven-cooked seafood, olive oil dishes (particularly borlotti beans with tomato sauce), roasted summer vegetables, haydari (garlic-yogurt dip), traditional Turkish delicacies (such as lakerda and midye dolma), together with fresh arugula, and sweet melon. It is also a popular complement to various red meat dishes like kebabs, where it is sometimes served with a glass of (pickle juice made from the brine of fermented purple carrots and other root vegetables, often spicy).
When making a toast, it is traditionally said that the bottoms of rakñ glasses should be used to toast rather than the rims, as a way of showing mutual respect. After the toast, it is also common to tap the bottom of the glass on the table in remembrance of someone who is not present there.
The founder and first President of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, was very fond of rakñ and his late-night sessions were his favourite place to debate issues with his closest friends and advisors.
Standard rakñ is a grape product, though it may be produced from figs as well. Rakñ produced from figs, particularly popular in the southern provinces of Turkey, is called incir boÃÂmasñ, incir rakñsñ ("fig rakñ"), or in Arabic, tini. Tekel ceased producing fig rakñ in 1947.
There are two methods of Turkish rakñ production. One method uses raisins and other grapes. Yeni Rakñ is produced from raisins and TekirdaàRakñsñ is produced from grapes. Fresh grape rakñ is like ouzo but has a higher alcohol content.
Suma rakñ, i.e. distilled rakñ prior to the addition of aniseed, is generally produced from raisins but raki factories around established wine-producing areas like TekirdaÃÂ, Nevà Âehir, and ðzmir may also use fresh grapes for higher quality. Recently, yaà  Ã¼züm rakñsñ ("fresh-grape raki") has become more popular in Turkey. The maker of a recent brand, Efe Rakñ, was the first company to produce raki exclusively of fresh grape suma, called Efe Yaà  ÃÂzüm Rakñsñ (Efe Fresh Grape Raki). TekirdaàAltñn Seri (TekirdaàGolden Series) followed the trend and many others have been produced by other companies.
The best-known and popular brands of rakñ, however, remain Yeni Rakñ, originally produced by Tekel, which transferred production rights to Mey Alkol upon the 2004 privatization of Tekel, and TekirdaàRakñsñ from the region of TekirdaÃÂ, which is famous for its characteristic flavour, believed to be due to the waters of ÃÂorlu used in its production. Yeni Rakñ has an alcohol content of 45% and 1.5 grams of aniseed per liter; TekirdaàRakñsñ is 45% ABV and has 1.7 grams of aniseed per liter. There are also two top-quality brands called Kulüp Rakñsñ and Altñnbaà Â, each with 50% ABV. The former one was the favorite of the Iraqi regent Abdul Ilah.
As of 2025, the major producers of rakñ include Diageo Türkiye (makers of Yeni Rakñ, TekirdaàRakñsñ, Kulüp Rakñ, Altñnbaà Â, ðzmir Rakñsñ, and others), Efe, Burgaz, and Tarià Â.
Dip rakñsñ ("bottom rakñ") is the rakñ that remains in the bottom of the tanks during production. Bottom rakñ is thought to best capture the dense aroma and flavour of the spirit, and is also called özel rakñ ("special raki"). It is not generally available commercially; instead, rakñ factories reserve it as a prestigious gift for large clients.
Aniseed-flavoured Rakñ, has been celebrated as a festival in Adana and Northern Cyprus since 2010. World Rakñ Festival in Adana, emerged from a hundred-year tradition of enjoying Adana kebab, with liver, à Âalgam and rakñ. The event turned into a nationwide popular street festival, street musicians playing drums and zurna, entertain visitors all night long at the second Saturday night of every December. In 2015, following pressure from Islamist media and the Adana Governor, the festival was officially renamed the "Adana Kebap and à Âalgam Festival", though it continued to be popularly known as the Rakñ Festival.
Since 2023, Yeni Rakñ has organized World Rakñ Week, an annual international celebration of Turkish rakñ culture held across major cities in Europe and beyond. The 2024 edition took place from 29 November to 8 December across London, Berlin, Hamburg, Amsterdam, Paris, Vienna, and Dubai, featuring pop-up experience centres called "The House of Yeni Rakñ", rakñ masterclasses, mezze tastings, live music performances, and cocktail events. The 2025 edition expanded further, with events held from 27 November to 7 December in cities including Barcelona for the first time.
In Crete tsikoudia is a pomace brandy that is sometimes called rakñ but made from grapes. It is used to make rakomelo, which is flavored with honey and cinnamon and is served warm during winter months.