A bit more than water

Rakiya, that Balkan friend of a hard alcohol, warms spirit and stomach alike.

Text: Magdalena Rahn

Unless buying a somewhat yellowish product from some unknown streetside vendor, there really should be no worry about drinking domashna rakiya – after all, it's been around for ages.
Call it Bulgarian moonshine, firewater, aguardiente or whatnot, rakiya is typically made from the pomace of fruit, traditionally grape or plum, that has been used for making wine. This mash of leftover fruit pulp – or simply the mashed fruit itself – is then fermented and distilled, a process and result mostly closely resembling that of grappa.

Though add that homemade spin to it, and it can be as if a match has been thrown into a can of petrol. Kaboom! In other words, drink too much, and you'll feel the unhappy effects.
This is not to say that all rakiya – home-distilled or industrially produced – is an unfortunate tipple. Many of those made in a mountain village, where an aroma of baking apples or grapes or quince can fill the crisp air, the result of boiling stills in quaint wooden shacks, are absolutely fabulous: rich, unctuously complex, aromatic yet clean, soulful. They can be quite the opposite of a manufactured product, where a colourless crystalline liquid flows smoothly from bottle to glass, off-aromas should be absent and alcohol is of a consistent – about 40 per cent – level.

Now about the colour: most rakiya is colourless. Some rakiyas, such as muskatova, which tends to be made from muscat grapes and aged in oak barrels for six months and a year, have an amber colour, which should not be mistaken for a beverage of questionable quality, and a pleasing sweet floral-musk smell.

While mostly made from grapes, Bulgarian rakiya can also be made from plum (slivova), quince (dyuleva), apricot (kaisieva), pear (kroushova), apple (yabulkova), fig (smokinova), cherry (chereshova) and even oil-bearing rose (gyulova). And while Bulgaria is famous for its attar of rose, this latter is rather uncommon.

Now to the proper glass: used erstwhile was a receptacle that resembled a little flattened ceramic ladle, described to us once as benefiting the aromatic experience of rakiya-drinking. One drinks out of this cup from its side. In any case, they're cute. Also used in the past was a bottle that resembles a miniature ouzo bottle, the rakiya being sipped from the top. Nowadays, one ideally uses a cognac-type glass, so as to swirl and sniff; it is also large enough to hold ice cubes, if one so desires.

It's winter at the moment. Greyana rakiya (heated rakiya sweetened with honey or sugar) makes a nice fireside friend; just be sure that the glass is able to take hot liquids. And enjoy.

Source: Month2Come