Batavia Arrack van Oosten. Arrack is the historical spirit from southeast Asia (the island of Java in Indonesia) that’s often referred to as the predecessor of rum since it is also (mostly) made from sugarcane. Not to be confused with arak (the Lebanese anise-flavored spirit), Javanese arrack is distilled from sugarcane and fermented red rice and is regarded for its transformative magic in a classic punch by elevating the flavors of its constituents.

The flavor of arrack is funky to say the least, so sort of reminiscent of the flavors you’ll find in a Jamaican or agricole rum, but the fermented red rice definitely does not go unnoticed despite being only 2% of the mix. I am not one to describe detailed flavors, so this is just one you’ll have to experience for yourself – just know, it will be the secret ingredient in your next stellar punch!

The historical punch originated from the Sanskrit word meaning “5” – referring to its 5 ingredient components of sugar, citrus, spirit, water, and spices (often tea). Arrack was picked up in the Eastern spice trade in the 17th century by the Dutch and brought to the Western world, where it became a popular ingredient in punch as its flavors work extremely well with citrus and spices.

Today, there is a very small market for arrack in the spirits world, but this particular bottle has decent distribution at well-stocked liquor stores (you may have to look around a bit or ask since they tend to be sold in random sections of the store as the spirit is harder to categorize). With its magical flavor-enhancing properties for citrus and spices, it’s actually still used readily in many high end European chocolates and bakeries.

Click here for recipes with Batavia arrack!