Prototip: A New Era in Boutique Rakı Production
In the heart of Türkiye's vibrant culinary scene, a new boutique rakı brand is redefining the essence of this cherished national spirit. Prototip, Türkiye's pioneering boutique rakı, landed on the scene three years ago to great critical acclaim. The company takes a novel approach to crafting the perfect rakı, as each year and with every harvest, the meticulous process of crafting Prototip begins anew, ensuring that every bottle captures the essence of Türkiye's rich viticultural and distillation heritage.
The Founders: Visionaries Behind Prototip
Prototip was born from the creative minds of Mehmet Gürs and Cemre Torun, two stalwarts of Türkiye's culinary scene. Gürs, the renowned founder of Mikla, Türkiye's premier fine dining restaurant, and Torun, the esteemed food editor for the Turkish editions of Vogue and GQ, share a passion for pushing the boundaries of traditional Turkish cuisine and beverages. The idea for Prototip emerged during the pandemic, a time when the pair found themselves at home, indulging in rakı and meze. One evening, perhaps due to the effects of having just enjoyed a bottle, they thought to themselves: "Why don’t we make our own rakı?" Contrary to most ideas that are born during convivial evenings, their spontaneous idea quickly turned into a serious venture, leading them to contact Levent Kömür, CEO of Mey Diageo, Türkiye's largest rakı producer. With Kömür's support, they navigated the stringent regulations and embarked on their mission to revolutionise rakı.
The Grape: The Foundation of Prototip
Türkiye is a land of grape abundance, boasting hundreds of varieties that are both plentiful and rare, well-known and obscure. The diversity of these grapes provides a vast palette for creating unique flavours in rakı. The choice of grape is fundamental, as it influences the aroma, flavour, and overall character of the rakı. For crafting rakı, distillers can choose from fresh grapes, raisins, or a combination of both, using either a blend of different types or a single variety. Continuously experimenting with new grapes, the brand aims to explore the many varieties that have yet to be used in rakı production. This year, Prototip incorporated raisins along with fresh grapes. PROTOTİP:RAKI LOT 2023_0003 is an innovative blend of distillates, resulting in a beautifully aromatic rakı with a delightful and lingering finish.
The Aniseed: The Heart of Rakı's Flavour
Aniseed, with its distinct liquorice flavour, gives rakı its signature taste and is responsible for the mesmerising transformation from clear to milky white when water is added. Prototip uses only the finest aniseed with high essential oil content, ensuring that a small amount goes a long way and provides a subtle, elegant aroma. Like any plant, the quality of aniseed is influenced by its region, soil, and weather conditions. This drives Prototip’s relentless search for the ideal produce grown by dedicated producers. For LOT 2023_0003, they sourced their aniseed from the villages of Yusufça and Anbarcık in Burdur, a Mediterranean province. These seeds had an essential oil content of 2.4%. After harvesting, they meticulously sorted the seeds to eliminate impurities, ensuring only the purest aniseed was used. This careful process resulted in a rakı with a pleasantly balanced anise flavour that is noticeable yet not overwhelming, enhancing the overall drinking experience.
The Distillate (Suma): Crafting the Spirit
The journey to crafting exceptional rakı begins with suma, a distillate produced from fermented must. While continuous distillation columns are commonly used for their efficiency and ability to achieve high alcohol content, Prototip aims for a more aromatic and flavourful result. To achieve this, a portion of the fermented must is distilled using traditional copper pot stills, much like fine brandies. This traditional method imparts the suma with a richness and depth that modern techniques cannot replicate. The suma is then infused with aromatic aniseed. The copper pot still is loaded with high-quality aniseed and the already aromatic and balanced suma to commence the distillation process. 79 grams of aniseed per litre of rakı were used for LOT 2023_0003.
The Art of Distillation
In the rakı market, the number of distillations is often highlighted. However, Prototip goes beyond this by focusing on the crucial cuts during distillation. Like single malt whisky, only the heart of the distillate is kept, with the heads and tails carefully removed. This process is repeated three times to achieve a spirit with an approximate alcohol content of 73%, which is then diluted to a desired 45% ABV. This meticulous approach ensures a rakı of unparalleled purity and flavour.
Maturation: The Final Touch
After distillation, Prototip enters a delicate maturation phase. This period allows the flavors to meld and the alcohol's edges to soften. The choice of maturation vessels—whether steel tanks, oak barrels, clay urns, or a combination—plays a crucial role in the final product. The duration of aging is equally important, striking a balance between too little and too much. This careful aging process is akin to achieving the perfect night's sleep, leaving the rakı refreshed and ready to delight.
Continuous Evolution: The Spirit of Prototip
Prototip is a journey of continuous evolution and improvement. Each year begins with a clean slate, driven by questions about the harvest, grape selection, aniseed quality, and desired flavour profiles. This relentless curiosity and commitment to pushing boundaries make Prototip a dynamic and ever-evolving spirit, setting a new standard for rakı production in Türkiye.
Cheers! Or as we say in Türkiye: Şerefe!