ARACK

ARACK, or Arrack, a spirituous liquor, imported from the East Indies; chiefly used by way of dram, and in Punch. See DRINK, PUNCH, etc. The nature and composition of this celebrated liquor has been much controverted. The name 'rack', Mr. Lockyer assures us, is an Indian word for strong waters of all kinds; for that they call our spirits and brandy, English Arrack. But, what we understand by the name Arrack, is really no other than a spirit procured by distillation, from a vegetable juice called 'Toddy', which flows by incision out of the coconut tree, like the birch juice procured among us. See VEGETABLE and TAPPING. The Toddy, Mr. Lockyer adds, is a pleasant drink of itself when new, and purges those not used to it; and when stale, is heady, and makes good vinegar. The English at Madras use it as leaven to raise their bread with. Goa and Batavia are the chief places for Arrack. At Goa, there are divers kinds; single, double, and treble distilled. The double distilled, which is that commonly sent abroad, is but a weak spirit in comparison with Batavia Arrack; yet, on account of its peculiar and agreeable flavour, is preferred to all the other Arracks of India. This is attributed to the earthen vessels, which alone they use at Goa to draw the spirit; whereas at Batavia they use copper stills. The Pariar Arrack, made at Madras; and the Columbo, and Quilon Arrack at other places, being fiery hot spirits, are little valued by the Europeans, and therefore rarely imported; though highly prized among the natives.

ARACK