Rakı
Rakı (Turkish: Rakı, Greek: Ρακί or Ρακή or "Τσικουδιά"Ottoman Turkish: راقى, pronounced [ɾaˈkɯ]) is an unsweetened, anise-flavored Turkish alcoholic drink that is popular in Turkey, Greece, Turkic countries, and in the Balkan countries as an apéritif. It is often served with seafood or meze. It is similar to several other alcoholic beverages available around the Mediterranean and the Middle East, e.g. pastis, ouzo, sambuca, arak, Aragh Sagi and aguardiente.
Etymology
The term raki entered English from Turkish rakı. The word rakı is derived from the Arabic عرق [ʕaraq], meaning distilled, other variants being araka, araki, ariki.Araq means perspiration in Arabic, which is believed to metaphorically refer to condensation, which likely refers to the condensation that forms outside of the chilled glass, or the drop-by-drop manner in which rakı is distilled that is reminiscent of sweating, or possibly the phenomenon of unexpected sweating observed in individuals engaging in excessive rakı consumption.