Arak XO – 75 cl with Gift Box

Spirit Content-type: Aniseed based Eau de Vie - Lebanese National Drink
Grape Variety: Meksassi and Hifawi - Indigenous grapes of Lebanon
Appellation: Jezzine, Southern Lebanon
Maturation: Aged in traditional clay jars for 6 years 
Serving: A dose of 1 / 3 Arak and 2 / 3 water then add ice cubes OR fill half the glass with Arak, add a few drops
of water and fill the rest of the glass with ice cubes

Distilling & Tasting Notes

Arak XO is proudly triple distilled in handmade copper alembic stills with Pure Jezzine Spring Water from Lebanese indigenous white grapes only, using the finest aniseed in the world and aged in traditional clay jars for a period of six years. The renowned Pure Jezzine Spring Water when used in the distill gives the Arak a highly mineral taste on the palate. The Lebanese indigenous white grapes give a luscious, fruity taste which when coupled with the best aniseed gives a sweet complex note to Arak.

Our aniseed is brought in from the Syrian village of Heeneh, famed for producing the best aniseed in the world. We harvest our grapes at the optimal level of maturity, ensuring lower alcohol content, thus paying the penalty of producing lower yields of Eau de Vie, but ensuring the ideal smoothness. When mixed with water color changes to snow white and on the nose displaying a bouquet of licorice and dry aniseed aromas. In the mouth it displays a mixture of raisins, aniseed, licorice with sweet dryness in the aft palate.

Food Pairing: As an aperitif and with Lebanese Mezza, Spanish seafood tapas, raw meat, raw fish, barbecued
meat or chicken, green salads and an assortment of pickles.

Arak Massaya has a beguiling aniseed flavor and freshness that cleans the palate and aids digestion. It is often served as an aperitif and then as the perfect accompaniment to classic selections of mezze, the array of tasty dishes with contrasting flavours that is the starting point for many lunchtime or evening meals.

Arak works particularly well with the mezze melange that will include olives, spices, meat and cheese flavors that are sometimes harder to match with wine.

Arak Fakra is an extra special baladi Arak, distilled in keeping with the ancestral Lebanese traditions with a selection of clusters of grapes and top-quality aniseed. It is then aged until maturity in baked clay jars which gives it a taste unlike any other.

Arak is the national Lebanese beverage. Today, over 100 years later, this family's descendants perpetuate the traditions of the Lebanese mountain by producing with the same method and according to the same formula that rare arak bearing the name of Arak Fakra, a name inspired by a prestigious site of that mountain situated at an altitude of more then 1500 meters. Already long before our era, the Romans had chosen this area to raise temples devoted to their divinities among which that of Venus and monuments honoring emperor Claudius (10AC - 54AD) whose name was Baalgalassos. The shadow of these temples' ruins still hands today over the cellars where Arak Fakra comes to maturity.

The arak of Chateau Ksara is a truly authentic expression of Lebanon's traditional, anise-flavored spirit.

It is produced in a specially-designed alembic still using an innovative technique to assure that only the heart of the distillate, the real "pure flower", is used. Finally, following ancestral norms, Ksarak is matured for two years in clay jars from Beit Chebab before it is at last ready for consumption.

Arak layali loubnan is a savory Lebanese arak. 50% Alcohol

Winemaking: The grapes are manually harvested, totally stemmed and transferred to tank in order to achieve the alcoholic fermentation. The Cinsault is shortly vatted to keep the freshness, the Syrah and Mourvedre are kept for a longer time to extract the aroma and spices, and the Cabernet-Sauvignon undergoes long skin contact to express length and elegance. The free flowing and press wine achieve the malolactic fermentation in different vats.

Maturing: The grape varietals are matured separately in vats for 14 to 18 months before being blended, fined and bottled. Taste: Its bright intense ruby red colour, with an exotic fruity aroma along with spicy and licorice notes make it a wine to remember. The mellow and supple tannins produce a persisting length on the Palate Ageing It can be drunk upon purchase or kept for 2 to 3 years in a good cellar.

Serving: Its easy flowing taste suits daily consumption and goes along very well with leg of lamb and stew

Find this and more exceptional selections at Kaasak.