Spirits brand
Yeni
Yeni is the historic Turkish rakı brand known internationally. It belongs to the portfolio produced by Mey İçki (now part of the Diageo group) and includes traditional and premium expressions such as the classic version, ÂLÂ (oak-aged) and Uzun Demleme (prolonged distillation).
- Turkey
- Since 1944
- 1 product
The story
Yeni Rakı was introduced during the state monopoly period of Tekel in 1944. With the privatization of the Turkish alcohol sector, production rights passed to Mey (Mey İçki) and Mey was subsequently acquired by Diageo in 2011. The brand has maintained a leading position in the rakı market in Turkey and abroad.
Production philosophy
The brand aims to preserve the long tradition of Turkish rakı by highlighting raw materials such as grape and anise, while also introducing product innovations (e.g. prolonged distillation) to achieve softer and more complex expressions.
Production method
Yeni rakı is produced from suma (grape distillate) or from suma blended with agricultural alcohol, with added anise (Pimpinella anisum) and distilled in copper pot stills. Some expressions involve multiple distillation passes and extended distillation times (e.g. Uzun Demleme).
Distillation
Distillation in copper pot stills; for some variants multi-pass distillation and prolonged distillation times (e.g. 48–72 hours for the Uzun Demleme version).
Ageing
The ÂLÂ expression is aged in oak casks; the classic version does not undergo wood aging according to official information.
Characteristics
- Type
- Spirits brand
- Categories
- Turkish raki
- anise spirits
- international spirits brand
- Raw materials
- grape (suma)
- anise (Pimpinella anisum)
- Casks and ageing vessels
- oak casks
- Representative products
- Yeni Rakı 70 cl (classic version)
- Yeni Rakı ÂLÂ (expression aged in oak casks)
- Yeni Rakı Uzun Demleme (long-distilled, 70 cl)
What makes it distinctive
- Historic brand introduced in 1944 during the period of state production.
- Produced within the Mey İçki portfolio (now part of Diageo after the 2011 acquisition).
- Range includes traditional and premium expressions: classic version, ÂLÂ (aged) and Uzun Demleme (prolonged distillation).
- Production based on suma (grape distillate) and anise, with distillation in copper pot stills.