Yen Raki has the flavors of anise seed, with a hint of white pepper; it has a long savory finish
Certainly an acquired taste, yet one I thoroughly enjoy. My first encounter was when I was working in Turkey. I had come down with a terrible chest cold and thought this might help me to sleep, as it had an aroma similar to "NyQuil." I slept like a baby and awoke fresh and revived. The taste is on the order of black licorice. Best served on ice with water. Delicious when served with fruit. The export version acquired here in the States is lower in alcohol than the potent Turkish market variety. Still efficient at 90 proof.
Technical Notes Raki is a usually anise0- flavored aperitif that is produced twice distilling either only suma or suma that has been mixed with ethyl alcohol in traditional copper alembics of 5000 litres volume o less with anise seed. It is similar to several kinds of alcoholic beverages available in the Mediteranian and parts of the Balkins, including pastis, sambica and ouzo. In the Balkans, however raki refers to a drink made from distilled poace, similar to Italian grappa, Bosnian raki, Greek ouzo and tsipouro, Cretan tsikoudia, Cypriot zivania and Spanish ouzo.
I Turkey raki is the unofficial ‘national drink’ and is traditionally drunk mixed with water; the dilution causes this alcoholic drink to turn a milky-white color, and possibly because of its color the mixture is called “lion’s Milk”