L'Arack de Musar

L’Arack de Musar is a refined interpretation of Middle Eastern tradition—marrying terroir-driven grape spirit with artisanal distillation and youthful sweetness. It offers rare elegance among araks: potent yet smooth, herbal yet inviting, and undeniably unique in global spirits culture.

🏺 Origins & Production

L’Arack de Musar is crafted from aged grape spirit distilled by Château Musar, an iconic Lebanese estate founded in 1930 by Gaston Hochar. The base spirit, made from indigenous Obaideh and Merwah grapes grown at high altitudes with chalky soils, is aged for around five years before pressing .

What sets it apart: four rounds of distillation, with locally sourced anise seeds added during the fourth distillation, a rarity in arak production. After distillation, it is rested for one year in terracotta amphorae—Roman-style earthenware that subtlety infuses texture and soft licorice aromatics.

👃 Aroma

The nose offers precise and intense anise and fennel aromas, enriched by a soft herbal sweetness and hints of licorice. Though powerful, it's remarkably clean and refined—aromatic with clarity and depth.

👅 Palate & Texture

L’Arack de Musar greets the palate with a refined sweetness balanced by firm anise character. At 53% ABV, it pours with a viscous texture and surprisingly gentle warmth. The aged base spirit lends an airy, soft grain sweetness beneath the spice—making it approachable even neat.

🔁 Finish

Expect a lingering anise-driven finish: crisp, herbal, and long, carrying echoes of fennel and light licorice. Though dry in style, the underlying sweetness helps soften the final impression.

🧭 Serving Ritual & Nordic Flair

Traditionally diluted with ice-cold water—typically a 1:2 ratio of arak to water—and served over ice (a ritual called “breaking”), it transforms into a milky opalescent aperitif. Its subtle sweetness and clarity also make it enjoyable neat or even as a unique cocktail base.

🌱 Why It Stands Out

• Heritage & Authenticity: One of the few internationally distributed araks made by a classical wine estate.

• Exceptional Craft: A four-time distillation and amphora finish deliver extraordinary purity and sophistication for an anise spirit.

• Versatility: Whether diluted or sipped neat, it delivers elegance beyond mass-market ouzo or pastis.

53% ABV, 750 ml, from Lebanon

The Chateau Musar Arack is made from grape alcohol with an average age of five years. Traditionally, arack is distilled twice, then anis seeds are added in the third distillation. L’arack de Musar is unique in that it is distilled four times with the addition of anis seeds during the 4th distillation. After distillation, it is aged for one year in terracotta amphora’s which contribute to its liquorice aroma. It is customary to add water to Arack when serving it as a digestif, but L’arack de Musar can be enjoyed without water. It is surprisingly smooth, sweet, and very easy to drink. The additional distillation results in a very pure and sophisticated Arack.