Cretan Raki

Raki, called tsikoudia in the west of the island, is distilled from the pomace left after pressing wine grapes, run once through a copper still to around forty per cent, and drunk clear and unflavoured, unlike Turkish raki or Greek ouzo which are aniseed. The distilling season runs for a few weeks in late October and November, when licensed stills, the kazania, fire up in villages and the process becomes a social occasion lasting all day and night, with food cooked over the still fire and neighbours dropping in. The custom around drinking it matters as much as the spirit: a carafe arrives free at the end of a meal with something sweet, and refusing it is awkward, while drinking it fast is worse.

What you actually see

• The kazani - a copper still fired in a village yard through the season.
• The autumn gatherings - food, music and visitors around the still.
• The free carafe - raki served with dessert at the end of meals.
• The pomace - grape residue from the wine harvest as the raw material.

When to go

Late October and November for the distilling season, which is when the social side is visible; raki is served year-round in tavernas. Village stills are private affairs, so an invitation or a local contact helps.

Honest expectations

Raki is strong and served generously, and hospitality makes it easy to drink far more than intended, especially with driving in mind on mountain roads. Quality varies enormously between homemade batches. Distilling gatherings are not organised events for visitors.

Nearby

The villages of the Amari valley, Anogia and the Chania hinterland are traditional distilling areas.