Arrack is no other than a spirit produced by distillation from a vegetable juice called toddy, which flows out of the cocoanut tree. The operator provides himself with a parcel of earthen pots, climbs up the trunk of a cocoatree; and when he comes to the boughs, he cuts off one of the small knot or buttons, and applies the mouth of a bottle to the wound, fastening it to the bough with a bandage; in the same manner he cuts off others, and proceeds till the whole number is employed; this done, he leaves them until the next morning, when he takes off the bottles, which are mostly filled, and empties the juice into the proper receptacle.

When a sufficient quantity is produced, the whole put together, is left to ferment. When the fermentation is over, and the liquor is a little tart, it is put into the still, and fire being made, the still is suffered to work as long as that which comes has any considerable taste of spirit. The liquor thus procured is the low wise of arrack; and distilled again to separate some of its watery parts, and rectify it to that very weak kind of proof spirit in which state we find it.Tungusian arrack is a spirituous liquor made by the Tartars of Tungusia, of mare’s milk, left to sour, and afterwards distilled twice or thrice between two earthen pots closely stopped, whence the liquor runs through a small wooden pipe.

Source: www.publicbookshelf.com

Arrack is a type of alcohol produced in Asia and parts of the Middle East. Traditionally, arrack has been produced from fermented palm sap, although ingredients like rice, other grains, sugarcane, and molasses can be used to produce arrack as well.
This beverage is quite popular in Indonesia and parts of Sri Lanka, and some mixed drink recipes call specifically for arrack since it has a distinctive flavor. Do not confuse arrack with arak, a Middle Eastern drink made from raisins; arak has a flavor like anise, similar to the Greek ouzo. The history of arrack is probably quite old. Historical documents and works of ancient art depict the stages of arrack production, and the beverage was well established by the time European traders and explorers were introduced to it. Like other hard liquors, arrack is made by fermenting the primary ingredient and then distilling the result. The liquor has a flavor similar to rum, accompanied by a rich golden color.

Indonesia is a major producer of arrack; Indonesian arrack is sometimes labeled as “Batavia Arrack,” in a reference to the former name for Jakarta, capital of Indonesia.One of the most common types of arrack is arrack made with the sap of coconuts. To collect sap from coconut palms, workers climb the trees and cut into the flowers, gathering the resulting flow of sap in large containers. The sap is allowed to ferment into a mild palm wine which can be distilled into fiery coconut arrack.

In Indonesia, fermented sugarcane is the most common base for arrack, while fermented grains may be used in other parts of Asia.The quality of arrack varies widely, as is the case with many distilled spirits. Some producers pride themselves on making strong, clear arrack with an excellent flavor, while others focus on producing as much arrack as possible, sometimes to the detriment of the finished product.

Serious companies handle their arrack like famous brandy, rum, and whiskey producers, and the alcohol may be aged for flavor in various types of wood.Specialty import stores and liquor stores are good sources for arrack, and you may want to ask staff for product recommendations if you are not familiar with any of the brands that the store carries. The liquor can sometimes be difficult to find; if you have a recipe which calls for arrack, you can use rum as a replacement. Many punches include arrack, as the liquor is one of the traditional five base ingredients in punch.

Source: wisegeek.com