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Mey Diageo: Lion’s milk from Turkey

Raki is a typical Anatolian product with a manufacturing process specific to Turkey. The ingredients (grapes, raisins and aniseed from Anatolia) are distilled in traditional copper vats (maximum 5,000 litres), followed by at least one month of maturing in tanks or oak casks. The aniseed adds an unmistakable fragrance and creates the ‘white cloud’ when it is diluted with water – hence the fitting name ‘lion’s milk’. Raki has been trademarked due to its geographical origin since 2009.

Mey Diageo (with more than 30,000 members of staff in 180 countries) has a wide selection of brands that represent a culture of 500 years. These include Yeni Raki, Tekirdag Rakisi, Kulüp Raki, Altinbas Raki and Izmir Raki, and it exports to more than 30 countries. Yeni Raki has been produced since 1937 and is the ‘World’s Number 1 Raki Brand’ (IWSR 2020 with regard to volume). Since 2019, new recipes have been developed in ‘miniature’ pot stills (1/10 of the normal size) at a production site in Alasehir. The first product developed in this way is Yeni Raki Uzun Demleme (Long Distilled), and the second innovation is Yeni Raki Giz, inspired by whisky at cask strength (68%).

Raki is usually served in tall, thin glasses. Connoisseurs use an ‘Ehl-i keyf’ which simply means ‘bon vivant’. The glass is cooled in a cylindrical copper vessel and the outer edge is then filled with water and frozen before serving. Serefe!

At the World Spirits Award, there was double gold for Kulup Raki Deluks SoY 2024, and gold for Yeni Raki Ala.

Grasovka: Vodka with the pure mildness of nature

Grasovka, the vodka with the power of bison grass, has been a brand of the Underberg Group since 1976. The special feature of this Polish vodka speciality is based on its flavouring with bison grass, which grows in the Bialowieza National Park on the border between Poland and Belarus. Its excellent quality is also evident from the premium packaging with the embossed bison on every bottle. The modern, fresh look is underlined by the ice-blue cap, a symbol of the cold, clear water of Polish lakes.

The farmers in Bialowieza started flavouring their ‘drop of water’ with this lush grass centuries ago. The bison grass in the forest clearings is harvested by hand in early summer, dried in the sun, bundled together and cut to the right length. Then vodka is poured over the grass several times to acquire an aromatic essence. Following a strictly guarded recipe, this extract is combined with vodka made from grain until the colour, aroma and flavour meet the premium standards. Finally, the vodka is filtered once again and bottled together with a hand-picked stem of bison grass as its typical hallmark. Due to its pleasant, mild taste, this original Polish vodka is mostly enjoyed neat, but can also be used to prepare a number of mixed drinks and cocktails.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Grasovka Bisongrass Vodka.