Arak Muaddi is a new brand of spirit. But its history dates back thousands of years.
For millennia, chemists in Greece and Rome sought to increase the natural levels of alcohol in wine and beer, which they already produced in abundance.
They tried to do this through distillation, the process of separating the components of a liquid through boiling and condensation. However, none succeeded, and it’s very likely that many went blind or died from methanol poisoning in their attempts.
By the fifth century, Western Europe was in the midst of the Dark Ages, when little scientific advancement was made. Arabs picked up where Greeks and Romans left off, making substantial contributions to chemistry, among other disciplines.
Roughly 400 years later, Arab Muslim academic Jabir ibn Hayyan – today, recognized as the creator of algebra and father of chemistry – established the principles of classifying liquid substances by their properties and invented the equipment and techniques to isolate them.
One of Hayyan’s many inventions was the alembic pot still, which he used to distill various liquids. During an experiment to refine the production of al-kohl (eyeliner), he distilled wine — which he discovered resulted in a clear, highly potent spirit.
Arabic manuscript held in the British Library depicting the distillation process
At the time, Islam had already forbidden intoxicants, so Hayyan wasn’t interested in the spirit beyond its academic value. Thus, he concluded it was “of little use, but of great significance to science.”
Not everyone felt the same way. In fact, many Arabs of the Levant and Mesopotamia began consuming the spirit for enjoyment. Abu Nuwas, a ninth century Arab poet, wrote that he found inspiration in a wine that “has the color of rainwater but is as hot inside the ribs as a burning firebrand.”
Fans of the new drink began referring to it as “al-kohl,” after Hayyan’s accidental discovery.
When al-kohl reached European ports, the term was heard and mispronounced as “alcohol,” which – of course – remains in use today.
The Muaddi Craft Distillery continues the Arab tradition of distilling wine to create enjoyable spirits, namely Arak Muaddi. We use the same methods and techniques pioneered by Hayyan nearly 12 centuries ago, as well as a recipe that’s been passed down for generations.
And like the ancient Arabs of the Levant and Mesopotamia, we proudly share our heritage and spirit with the world.
Cheers!