Rakomelo (Greek Spiced Honey and Raki Warming Drink)

I already keep a Mazagran (recipe on the site) and a Porto Tónico (recipe on the site) in my drinks rotation for warm afternoons, but rakomelo is the one I reach for once the weather actually turns cold, which around here in the US means anywhere from late October through the depths of January. It is a Cretan tradition — raki, the fiery Greek grape spirit, warmed gently with honey and whole spices until it turns into something closer to mulled wine than a shot you throw back.

The name literally combines raki and meli, the Greek word for honey, and on the islands it is often kept simmering on the stove through the winter months, ready to pour whenever guests show up cold from outside. My husband, who is usually loyal to Port and Madeira wine, was won over by this on our one trip to Crete years ago, and now I make a pot of it every year once the first properly cold night hits.

You do not need to track down actual Cretan raki for this — an unaged grappa or a plain, unflavored eau de vie makes a very reasonable stand-in, since both share that same clean, grape-forward base. Warm it gently, never let it boil, and you will end up with a drink that tastes like a warm hug after being outside in the cold.

Rakomelo Recipe

Prep time: 5 minutes · Cook time: 10 minutes · Total: 15 minutes · Servings: 4 · Calories: ~180 kcal per serving per serving

Ingredients

• 2 cups raki, tsipouro, or unaged grappa
• 1/2 cup honey (a Greek thyme honey if you can find one)
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 star anise (optional)
• 2 strips orange peel
• Extra cinnamon sticks, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan, combine the raki, honey, cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise if using, and orange peel.
2. Warm the mixture over low heat, stirring occasionally to help the honey dissolve, for about 8 to 10 minutes. Keep the heat low — you want it steaming and fragrant, not simmering hard, since boiling will burn off the alcohol and flatten the flavor.
3. Once the honey is fully dissolved and the spices smell fragrant, remove from heat and let it steep for a few minutes for a stronger spice flavor, if you like.
4. Strain out the whole spices and orange peel, or leave a cinnamon stick in each cup for presentation.
5. Pour into small heatproof glasses or cups and serve warm, ideally to guests who have just come in from the cold.

Recipe Notes

• True Cretan raki can sometimes be found at Greek or Mediterranean specialty liquor stores in larger US cities, or ordered online — but a plain, unaged grappa or even a neutral brandy makes a perfectly good substitute if raki is not available near you.
• Keep the heat low throughout — letting this come to a full boil cooks off much of the alcohol and makes the drink taste flat and overly sweet instead of warm and complex.
• Leftover rakomelo keeps in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks — gently rewarm individual servings rather than reheating the whole batch repeatedly.
• This is a strong, warming drink meant to be sipped slowly in small glasses, not served like a full-size cocktail.