SAG Persian Raisin Aragh

As any upstart leader knows, government bans bring people together. It was in that spirit that a group of friends, who met as teenagers in Tehran and reunited years later in New York City, began making a bootleg version of Aragh Sagi, the national spirit of Iran that was driven underground by the Islamic Republic.The spirit, which the founders called Sag (Farsi for “dog,” the drink's nickname), caught on among members of the Iranian diaspora and quickly outgrew its moonshine phase. Today, the raisin-based liquor is made in a modern distillery in Yonkers, but retains the complexity of its early days: aromas of tarragon, fruit leather, and black lime give way to a palate that’s sweet and earthy (think grappa meets mezcal). Sip neat or mix into cocktails while sharing memories of a illicit past or planning a glorious future. Salamati!