For the third time in 2019, Arak Muaddi has won a major international spirits competition.
The London Spirits Competition awarded a bronze medal to Muaddi Craft Distillery at its annual contest in the United Kingdom.
A blind panel of expert judges announced their decision after tasting more than 1,000 spirits from 44 countries. It was the largest contest the distillery has ever competed in. Competitors included many of the world’s leading anise-flavored spirits.
“The incredible range, diversity, and quality of the entrants to the London Spirits Competition’s entries demonstrate what an exciting category it is to be involved with,” said Sid Patel, CEO of London Spirits Competition.
“From the London Spirit Competition awards, it seems that the smaller producers are presenting a real challenge to the established operators,” he added.
Judges at the London Spirits Competition (LSC)
Muaddi Craft Distillery welcomed the news with a mix of excitement and disbelief.
“After back-to-back wins in Berlin and New York, we were already flying high. But winning in London put us over the moon,” said Nader Muaddi, founder and distiller at Muaddi Craft Distillery. “I guess it’s true, the third time’s a charm!”
Arak Muaddi was named “Arak of the Year” at both 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 is the first product of Palestine to win a medal at any of the three competitions.
“We’re honored to represent Palestine on an international level,” said Muaddi. “Our country has a long history of producing fine arak. We’re happy to continue that tradition.”
The London Spirits Competition is a trade-only competition, where expert judges from a range of disciplines — including sommeliers, mixologists and restauranteurs — taste and critique spirits.
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 an award-winning, 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.