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Autumn is the time when Greek wine & grape holidays mark a new stage of the year. Some of the most colorful days are the ones when people start producing the famous Greek raki. For those of you who don’t know, that’s a traditional alcoholic drink that locals never miss to enjoy with a good company. Today we’re going to talk a bit about the most beloved Greek beverages – namely ouzo and raki. Here’s 6 facts that you probably didn’t know:

1. Just as Greek ouzo is associated with the island of Lesvos, the traditional raki is most popular on the island of Crete. We’re not saying people from the rest of the country don’t drink raki all the time, though! By the way, you can also find it under the name Tsipouro. That’s exactly the same beverage with around 37-40% alcohol content. However, on Crete you’ll most likely find it as Tsikoudia.
2. Traditionally, Greek raki is made of the leftovers from wine production. However, if you know how it tastes like, then you can probably still remember how intense its flavor is.
3. Wanna know something more about the real process? Well, it all starts with letting the remaining rape after the wine production ferment in a vessel for about a month. Then this mixture goes into a distiller and the holiday begins.
4. When Greeks receive an invitation to take part in the autumn holidays, it really means a lot to them. And how could it be otherwise?! Being a participant means they’ll get the chance to try the aromatic drink and some traditional mezedes (small Greek appetizers).
5. What about the places where you can find Greek raki? Well, this beverage is popular not only in Greece, but also in England, Australia and the USA. The restaurants where raki is a main drink on the menu are popular as Rakadiko. If you happen to visit Greece and have a nice dinner there, you can end up with a treat from the restaurant – a glass of Tsikoudia just before you go. That’s something locals get their clients’ attention with.
6. If you remember from our previous blog post, ouzo’s name has a very interesting story. As a matter of fact, in the beginning of the 20^th century somehow the word ‘raki’ gradually turned into ‘ouzo’. Today there’s been some rumor that both drinks are actually the same. However, we would say that’s not quite the case. Yes, both are anise-flavored distillates, but in general raki tends to be much stronger than ouzo.

Ouzo or raki – it doesn’t matter! Whichever you choose, you won’t make a mistake. Check out all of our traditional spirits as you click here!