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It’s Crete’s natural remedy for broken hearts and painful stomachs alike. It’s an elixir, a piece of homemade culture, a glass of Cretan hospitality.

No, Seriously… What is Cretan Raki?

Let’s start with its name

The authentic local name on Crete for raki is tsikoudia (pronounced /tsi-kooh-diá/). The name raki, instead, comes from the days of the Turkish occupation of Crete.

They currently use both names on the island, but the raki served in Turkey has a completely different taste, resembling more the Greek ouzo than the Cretan spirit.

Is Raki really that strong?

Since I moved to Crete, one of my favorite hobbies has become looking at tourists’ faces every time they taste a complimentary glass of raki for the first time. It’s really funny to see their eyes opening wide after they swallow the first shot.

The deceiving small glass should be a warning that they’re about to taste something strong, and still, being the shot so short, they think they can handle it easily. They normally don’t!

And I’m not bragging about my skills to endure raki! I still get a burning throat whenever they offer me a strong homemade version.

Do you see? The alcoholic volume of raki varies from bottle to bottle, and from producer to producer.

And since much of the raki made on the island is made at home, there are no rules about how strong it should be.

So sometimes, surprises are just around the corner… or inside the glass, so to speak.

So, What is Cretan Raki Made of?

Raki (also tsikoudia) shares the same humble origins of other gastronomic staples of Crete, and of the Mediterranean in general, in which nothing was wasted, and everything had a second purpose.

The same way that olive trees would give precious olive oil, but also wood for heating and leaves to feed the animals, raw materials to produce soap, candles, and many more things.

Just like that, the vineyard would give grapes and wine but also leaves to roll dolmades, molasses to sweeten desserts (petimezi), and must.

Must is at the base of Cretan raki. In fact, the solid part of must (seeds, skin, and stems) is known as pomace, and that’s not discarded, but rather kept after the grape harvest is done with.

In Crete, once the months devoted to winemaking are over, we get ready for tsikoudia!

The pomace or stafylla, that mix of crushed grapes, skin, and seeds resulting from grape pressing to make wine, ferments for more than a month in barrels. 

So, when November comes, and fermentation is over, locals boil the stafylla in special cauldrons… this is the basic process to distillate tsikoudia!

Raki, Ouzo, Kitron… What’s All About?

Most tourists I’ve met, usually compare raki to Italian grappa. However, even if the production process remains similar and both are grape distillates, the taste varies a little.

When we taste a glass of raki during a visit to Chania’s market, many tourists I’ve met, fearing to offend me, usually whisper to each other “This tastes like grappa”.

I just laugh, because it’s ok to compare raki to grappa. The production process is quite similar and the taste does not differ for those who drink it sporadically.

Distillation of pomace has been practiced for centuries all over Europe, it could be fair to say that every Mediterranean country has its version of raki.

For Italians, it’s grappa, for Cypriots is zivania, and even within Greece itself, we have different distillates.

Around the Cycladic islands, for example, they call it souma. And on every island, they will be proudly distinguishing Parian souma (made in Paros), from Sifnian souma (made in Sifnos)… but it’s always the same.

In other areas of Greece, distillation has given origin to several spirits, some of them adding extra herbs or fruit zest to them. So we have tsipouro, ouzo, koum quat in Corfu, kitron in Naxos… and more.

Tsipouro or Tsikoudia? What’s Going On?

If you’ve been to Greece before, you’ve already passed the test of ouzo. You’ve tasted it, liked it or not, and know what it’s all about.

However, if you’ve been to Greece more than once, chances are you’ve also been put to the test of tsipouro. But what’s the difference between tsipouro and tsikoudia?

To be honest, there’s a lot (and I mean a lot!) of confusion around. You will find contradicting information on every single website you look into.

So to avoid adding further mist to the question, I first asked a pro, my best pal and sommelier, Anna Maria Kambourakis.

She runs the most amazing wine-tasting tours on the island and knows her stuff very well. She was really clear:

So this is like a gyro/souvlaki question. Some call it a gyro pita, some call it souvlaki…some put tzatziki on it, some don’t! In Crete, we call it tsikoudia or raki.

The home-made version is distilled once. The raki produced by wineries is sometimes double distilled. And in both cases, nothing is added.

On the other hand, tsipouro can be the exact same thing. However, on some islands, they add some anise for the liquid not to stick to the bottom of the kazani (the cauldron).

Then I asked someone whose family has been distilling raki for generations. This is what he had to say:

That’s a very long story… but to put it short, raki goes through a single distillation and we don’t add anything to it. Tsipouro, instead, can sometimes have anise in it, and it’s always double distillation. And, as far as I know, ouzo is single with anise and a lot more herbs.

Raki Distillation: The Process

Raki is a transparent liquor, for those who know nothing about it, it’s similar to gin in gradation and color but different in taste. Both the ingredients and the process give it a characteristic flavor.

But how do they make it?
Distillation follows an ancient method, a process that has been maintained for centuries, and that‘s now part of the Cretan tradition. 

The producer puts the pomace in the cauldron with some water and lights the fire to make it simmer.
The fire shouldn’t be too strong so as not to burn the pomace. Yet a fire that’s too low wouldn’t be enough.

There must be a balance in the intensity of the flames.

A good raki must have a proper balance to reach a characteristic taste, gradation, and intensity.

Rakokazana, the Feast of Distillation

During the rakokazana, the locals distillate and taste the very first raki of the season, and — pretty much as in every Cretan feast — people eat, dance, sing, and drink… loads of Cretan raki!

It’s a moment of joy and celebration, particularly special in several villages.

A much-awaited moment after the hard work of collecting grapes and making wine.

If you visit Crete in late October or in November, you should definitely make a point to attend a rakokazana to witness the magic moment when the pure Cretan spirit starts dripping out of the pipe.

You will probably taste stunning Cretan food, drink lots of rakis, dance, sing, and take a bottle back home!

Raki in History

Greece’s first prime minister, Cretan Eleftherios Venizelos first instituted the custom of distilleries in the 1920s.

Back then, farmers received special permits or licenses to make raki at home and obtain an extra income.
Until the present day, there is at least one inhabitant in every village with a license to produce the drink.

Cretan Raki, More than Just a Drink

Raki is more than a drink. For Cretans, it is the king of drinks — even pairing cold coffee in popularity —.
In case you’re wondering, raki has a delicious flavor of sweet raisins and a unique level of pureness, containing no dyes or industrial alcohol.

This fragrant grape-based spirit has about 40-60 % alcohol by volume, mostly when it’s homemade.

In Winter, we love to mix it with honey (and sometimes a bit of cinnamon) to transform it into Rakomelo, according to some, the perfect elixir for cough and sore throats.

Iced raki is a common refreshing drink served after or before a meal, but most of all, raki is a metaphor for Cretan hospitality.

Whenever you visit a restaurant, the owner of the taverna will bring a small bottle of homemade raki to your table. He will serve it chilled in shot glasses, and leave the bottle for you to have some more.

Don’t be surprised if he joins you for a toast at the joyful shout of Gia Mas (Γεια μας!), “to your health”, the Greek way to say cheers and celebrate life. In Crete, though, we say Evviva!

This is how they express their gratitude for your visit, offering it as a complimentary aperitif and often adding a dish of fresh fruit or sweets to go with it.

Superstitions and Curious Facts about Cretan Raki

There’re several myths, superstitions, and curious things revolving around raki, let’s check out a few:

• Raki mustn’t miss in any Cretan household, if that happens, it’s grousouzia (rotten luck)!
• When you attend a rakokazano (the distillation evening), you’ll be given a bottle to take home with you. You must accept it and, whenever you have a shot of that raki, it will be like making a toast to the health of the producer.In some areas of Crete, instead of the typical gia mas, they say xares when they make a toast. Xares means happiness! In Chania, we also say evviva!
• The word raki is feminine in Greek, you say mia raki and not ena raki!
• Sfinari is the name locals give to the small shot glass where they pour raki.

If you’re coming to Crete and are curious about it, you can taste Cretan raki the way locals do, joining my “A Taste of Crete” experience in which tsikoudia and traditional local bites are the leading characters!

When you visit the island, try the homemade raki. And if you like it, go ahead and taste the raki produced by some of the top local wineries. And then let me know, which one you liked best.
Have you ever tasted Cretan raki?

Read more about Crete

• Where to Stay in Heraklion: Accommodation Guide
• Top tours, day trips, and excursions from Heraklion
• Comfortable Airbnbs in Heraklion
• What to do in Heraklion in 1, 2, or 3 days
• Travel Tips: How to Plan a Fabulous Road Trip in Crete

Pin This Super Useful Guide to Remember What Cretan Raki is All About!

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You might also want to read these posts about Crete’s regions:

• 52 Things to Do in Lasithi Region
• 52 Things to Do in Heraklion Region
• 52 Things to Do in Rethymnon Region
• 52 Things to Do in Chania Region

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