On 1 December 2020, the International Beverage Testing Institute (BTI) awarded Arak Muaddi a gold medal during its annual evaluation of Asian Spirits.
BTI scored Arak Muaddi a 93 out of 100 points, calling it an “exceptional” artisanal Levantine arak.
According to their official tasting notes, Arak Muaddi has “aromas and flavors of artisan licorice, sandalwood incense, dates, and soy with a creamy, crisp, dry-yet-fruity medium body and a silky, intricate, long finish that shows overtones of shortbread, taffy, and candied aniseed.”
They added that it is “a concentrated Arak with a transporting, all-natural flavor that happily lingers.”
Arak Muaddi was judged alongside other more established brands of arak, but still scored at the top of the list.
“We’re delighted by the results,” said Nader Muaddi, founder and head distiller at Muaddi Craft Distillery in Bethlehem, Palestine.
“The International Beverage Testing Institute is the world’s foremost authority on quality spirits. To have them award us a gold medal is an honor and a testament to our hard work and passion for distilling the world’s finest arak.”
BTI’s gold medal adds to Muaddi Craft Distillery’s growing list of international awards. In 2019, Arak Muaddi was named “Arak of the Year” at the Berlin International Spirits Competition and New York International Spirits Competition. It also won a gold medal and silver medal at the events, respectively. Arak Muaddi was also awarded a bronze medal at the London Spirits Competition.
In addition to BTI’s score and award, the institute will archive Arak Muaddi in its library of more than 7,000 spirits as a benchmark for how authentic arak should taste.
Cornell University founded the institute in 1981 to provide objective analysis of all types of beverages, including beer, wine and spirits. As a member of the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM), the institute follows strict policies to remove bias from its evaluations. Its panel of judges is comprised of beverage directors, sommeliers, top bartenders, retail buyers and educators, who the institute has trained to be sensory analysts.
Muaddi Craft Distillery launched its first limited-run batch of Arak Muaddi in 2018, using traditional methods and all-natural, indigenous Palestinian ingredients.
Arak Muaddi is a critically acclaimed, ultra-premium spirit that is made with passion, artistry and respect for heritage. It is handcrafted in small batches and caters to the aficionado who appreciates the unaltered flavor of the Levant.