The Story of Smyrna

Smyrna's roots run deep. Smyrna is a place but more importantly, it's a culture. Found in Western Anatolia on the coast of the Aegean Sea, Smyrna traces its civilizational roots back to 6,500 BCE, spanning several empires.

The beautiful sunsets and crashing waves on its coast give way to gatherings and celebrations that last through the night. With a little meze and a bit of raki, the spirit of togetherness and hospitality comes alive. That same spirit found in ancient Smyrna can be found even today at the raki (and ouzo) tables of the entire region.

We chose to pay homage to the rich history and culture of Smyrna by making the world's first and only black grape raki and naming it after the region that gave birth to it. Every ingredient that goes into a Smyrna Raki bottle comes from this region, from the black grapes used for fermentation to the anise seeds and fresh underground mineral water that give Smyrna Raki its distinctive flavor and color-chaning property.

Want to unleash this ancient spirit? Just add a bit of water to a glass of Smyrna Raki and watch it come alive and change color.

The Smyrna region lies in and around the modern-day city of Izmir, Turkey. Many ancient cities make their home on this coast, including the fabled city of Troy that lies just to the North. In ancient times, borders weren't as clearly defined as they are today so it's difficult to say exactly where Smyrna lay but Izmir is definitely at the center of the region.