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Raki Delivery or Pickup

The Instacart guide to raki products

Did you realize that with the Instacart app, you can order your favorite raki in minutes and get it delivered right to your door? You can also pick it up curbside at the nearest store. When you order raki through the Instacart app, you can save some of your precious time and make your day a little easier.

About raki

Raki is made from grapes and anise, and it's usually distilled twice. It's the national drink of Turkey, and the only authentic brands are produced in the country. Raki is also popular in many nearby places, including Greece, Bosnia, and Kazakhstan. The word raki comes from the Turkish word, araki, for wine and other alcoholic drinks.

Monks started making raki in the 14th century, and many individuals made their own batches. In the 20th century, commercially made raki became more popular. People call raki Lion's Milk or Milk of the Brave because it turns white when mixed with water, soda, or ice. The anise oil it contains is soluble in alcohol but not water, causing this interesting reaction.

Today, raki is made from grape juice, raisins, or the skin and pulp left after pressing grapes for wine. It's fermented with yeast and then distilled into a spirit called suma. Then, the manufacturer dilutes the suma with water, adds anise, and distills it again. Raki is usually aged for at least a month before sale, and it has less sugar than most other anise-flavored drinks. It also has a high alcohol content.

Most people add water or ice before drinking raki, and they enjoy it with meze, which are Turkish appetizers like melon slices, roasted chickpeas, salted almonds, and feta cheese. You can also sip it slowly with dinner. It pairs well with meat, seafood, and sweeter flavors. 

When people in Turkey toast with raki, they touch the bottoms of their glasses together instead of the tops. If you knock the table with your glass, it means you're thinking of someone that you wish was there. Raki is a popular drink at parties, and people often enjoy it while listening to traditional Turkish musicians.

Types of raki

Many different types of raki are available. Some raki is made from figs, sugar beets, or molasses instead of grapes. Most raki is clear, but some are aged in wood barrels or casks long enough to give it a golden color and a smoky, woody flavor. Aged raki has a more subtle, refined taste.

Helpful tips for choosing great raki

Raki makes a unique addition to cocktails, or you can enjoy it traditionally with water. The best quality raki is made from fresh grapes, but different ingredients can add interesting flavors. The quality of the water added after the first distillation can make a big difference, as well. For an authentic drink, look for raki made in Turkey.

Raki Near Me

Buy your favorite Raki online with Instacart. Order Raki from local and national retailers near you and enjoy on-demand, contactless delivery or pickup within 2 hours.

FAQs about liqueurs

Like most types of spirits, an unopened bottle of raki shouldn't go bad. An opened container can last for up to 10 years. However, you should throw your raki away and purchase a new bottle through Instacart if it starts to look or taste strange.

Most raki cocktails are new creations, so you and your friends can have fun trying them for the first time. The Istanbul includes orange liqueur, pomegranate juice, lime, and raki, while the Turkish martini has raki, vanilla liqueur, coffee, and almond syrup. With a pineapple raki sour, you'll get raki, lime juice, lemon juice, sugar, pineapple juice, and egg white. The Ankara has simple syrup, raki, grenadine, almond liqueur, and Mandarin orange juice.

The Ottoman Bazaar comes with honey, raki, orange juice, passion fruit puree, ground cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon. You can garnish it with a cinnamon stick and a lime slice. Make a Mediterranean Manhattan with raki, sweet vermouth, orange bitters, a candied orange slice, and a cherry. 

Rakia is fruit-flavored wine or brandy that's popular in the same region as raki. It doesn't usually contain anise but is instead made with grapes, blackberries, figs, pears, plums, mulberries, or other fruit. It can also be flavored with walnuts, herbs, or honey, and it's sweeter than raki. People drink it at weddings and funerals more often than they do at parties, and residents of the Balkans often offer rakia to guests in their homes.

You can save yourself a lot of time and make your schedule less busy and stressful by placing your next raki order through Instacart. A skilled Instacart shopper will travel to a nearby retail store for you and put all of your selections together. You can get your raki as little as 2 hours when you take advantage of the convenient Instacart app to order from your smartphone!