Over the past two years, the Balinese arak scene has exploded, resulting in new and innovative brands dishing up delectable liquors.

Take a good look around on your next trip to Bali, and you’ll realize just how popular arak really is. Distilled from the sap or fruit of palm trees, this distinctive liquor has been intertwined with Balinese life for hundreds of years. It is present at religious ceremonies, imbibed at celebrations and sneaked into beach clubs and concerts alike.

However, as its legal status has always been suspect, it is kept alive by a cottage industry at best and an underground market at worst. Incidents of improperly prepared arak leading to illnesses and occasionally death earned the drink a dark reputation, especially among non-Balinese.

Slowly, though, this is changing. Since the Balinese regional government ratified a governor’s decree in 2020, the production and distribution of arak has been more tightly monitored and regulated. Newer brands helmed by elder distillers and young upstarts alike have emerged—innovating the drink and turning it into an unmissable delicacy.

Here are five bottles you must procure for your next gathering, or just for your minibar.

Holy Tirtha

There’s a reason for its popularity among younger crowds. Pure, unadulterated arak Bali can be a baptism of fire for the uninitiated—with a strong, attacking opening salvo and an aggressive finish. But Holy Tirtha’s blend flows smoothly down the hatch, never overbearing the palate or attacking your throat the way rough-and-tumble arak will.

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