Matured Batavia arrak

[Vanisher]

Hi there

I am new to this forum

My sisters friend lives in Holland, and i asked her to bring me a bottle of arrak when she comes to Sweden for a visit. I wonder What kind of Batavia arrak do they have in Holland? Do they have arrak that is matured? This von Oosten brand that is white, how is that? Tasting notes someone! Can one enyoy it straight like a good Rum! I have a great intrest in Rum, and developed a intrest in arrak to! ( even if i havent tasted the spirit itself) But i love the arrak taste. We have it in Swedish punch and in "arrksboll" A cookie that is flavoured whith arrak. /Johan

[The Scribe]

The stuff available in America is absolutely not sippable, and I sip some pretty rough rums. I was talking to one of the distributors from Haus Alpenz and he suggested that straight one wouldn't get "the full impression" of the spirit, whihc was a very polite way of saying what I found out from experience: don't sip Arrack.
Cheers. - S

[Michael]

We can second the impression. The Batavia Arrack is not drinkable alone. It also requires careful application, lest cocktails including it are rendered undrinkable as well.

[Tiare]

I second that, don`t sip it. I myself use it sparingly in some tikidrinks but rarely. Still..its an interesting product though, if used the right way.

One more thing..i`m from sweden too and this arrak DO NOT taste anything near the arrak and arraksboll candy you are thinking of!

I have a feeling that you might get very disapointed...sorry..

[Edward Hamilton]

The Batavis Arrack mentioned above is bottled for Haus Alpenz to fill the demand from cocktail enthusiasts who spent too much time reading the old books about punch that included Batavia Arrack.

If you understand that this spirit was brought from Java to Holland in previous centuries to be used to flavor chocolate. Holland has and still does have a healthy distillation industry so there were a lot better things to drink that Batavia Arrack.

I don't know anyone who drinks/sips Batavia Arrack but I have had a few drinks that weren't bad that included it, in small quantities. It should also be noted that in Java, I lived there for three years and sampled every food and drink in my path, and didn't find anyone drinking it there. I never found a bottle of Arrack with what I would call a real label. And considering that I could buy Myers's Rum for $5 a bottle, it wasn't hard to decide what to drink.

At that time a large beer was more than a dollar and the average per capita income was less than a dollar.

[eas]

To my knowledge there is no tradition beyond that of homesick sailors of drinking Batavia Arrack straight. That said, there are some hearty souls (and iron palates) that profess to do just that - I say homesick sailor.

The blend for Batavia Arrack van Oosten was chosen specifically to optimize the old classic punches that called for it. Here's one that Dave Wondrich served to a group of industry folks at Pegu Club last week (sponsored by the good people of Bols Genever)
http://thecocktailguru.wordpress.com/2010/01/28/dave-wondrich-punches-it-up/

Billy Dawson’s Punch (1863)

12 oz. Demerara sugar
8 lemons
1 bottle Smith & Cross Jamaican Rum
1 Bottle Gosling’s Black Seal Rum
1 Bottle Battavia Arrack van Oosten
15 oz. VSOP Cognac
1 can Guinness Stout
Boiling Water

Method: In a stout earthenware bowl that holds at least a quart and a half, muddle the peel of 6 lemons with 12 oz. demerara sugar. Add 24 oz. boiling water and stir until sugar has dissolved. Add 9 oz. lemon juice, 30 oz. rum (20 0z. Smith & Cross Jamaican rum and 10 oz. Gosling’s Black Seal), 15 oz. VSOP Cognac, 3 oz. Battavia Arrack and 9 oz. good porter or Guinness stout, stirring all along. Finish by slowly stirring 36 oz. boiling water. Grate nutmeg over the top and serve.

[Edward Hamilton]

That lloks like a recipe for a hangover if I ever saw one.