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Tsikoudia (Greek:τσικουδιά,romanized: tsikoudiá, literally "terebinth") is analcoholic beverage, a fragrant, grape-basedpomace brandy of Cretan origin that contains 40% to 65%alcohol by volume.[1] Tsikoudia is made bydistilling ofpomace, what remains of grapes pressed inwinemaking. In the eastern part ofCrete, tsikoudia is often informally called raki (Greek:ρακή,romanized: rakí), a name originating from the Turkish 'raki', derived from the 17th-century Arabic 'arak', meaning 'distilled'.
The pomace ferments for about six weeks in a tightly sealed barrel, and is thendistilled. It is similar totsipouro from mainlandGreece, and is part of a family ofMediterranean grape-based distilled spirits, includingSpanish:orujo,Italian:grappa,French:marc,Georgian:chacha,Portuguese:bagaceira,Bulgarian:ракия,romanized: rakiya,Macedonian:ракија,romanized: rakija, Turkishrakı,Albanian:rakia,Serbo-Croatian:rakija / ракија (inIstria:grappa),Romanian:tescovină,Hungarian:törköly. However, unlike the above spirits which are typically double-distilled and often include additional spices such as anise, tsikoudia undergoes a single distillation process. This method preserves more of the original grape flavor without the addition of flavorings, resulting in a lower alcohol content and a distinct flavor profile compared to its counterparts.
It is often produced at home in villages throughout Crete, thus the alcohol content varies by producer. Typically each Cretan village has one or two residents who are licensed to distill, and tsikoudia is produced continuously for two to three weeks in late October and early November.
Tsikoudia is almost always served chilled from a freezer and is commonly provided as a complimentarydigestif in Cretan restaurants, often accompanied by fruits and sweets after the meal.
