Arak

[Kibbee Nayee]

Thanks in part to Anthony Bourdain's excellent new episode on Beirut, I have renewed and reinvigorated my search for quality arak from the region. I know that various of the liquor stores downtown carry some of the nicer versions, but I am specifically looking for a good source of al-Massaya, as featured in Bourdain's episode....

http://www.massaya.com/arak.aspx

Alas, I found it at www.drinkupny.com and six bottles are on their way. Just wondering if a local source is available to me....also, for all the arak connoisseurs out there, please clue me in on your favorite version that may be locally available....

[John Wabeck]

Thanks in part to Anthony Bourdain's excellent new episode on Beirut, I have renewed and reinvigorated my search for quality arak from the region. I know that various of the liquor stores downtown carry some of the nicer versions, but I am specifically looking for a good source of al-Massaya, as featured in Bourdain's episode....

http://www.massaya.com/arak.aspx

Alas, I found it at www.drinkupny.com and six bottles are on their way. Just wondering if a local source is available to me....also, for all the arak connoisseurs out there, please clue me in on your favorite version that may be locally available....

Not sure if it's available locally but Fakra is good.

[jparrott]

I know Massaya was available 1-2 years ago (they also make some wines, the salesman for which I ran into at Vidalia once). Back when Zaytinya stocked multiple araks (they only have the slightly-too-sweet Ksarak now), I thought Massaya was the best of them.