Behind the Bottle

The word “devrim” means profound change. But the revolution Devrim 1923 represents is not a radical break from the past — it is a story of growth and transformation. An invitation to look at what we already know and love with new eyes.

Devrim 1923 brings the world of our parents and grandparents together with the aesthetic and quality standards of contemporary bars. While preserving the cultural essence of traditional rakı, it opens Turkish drinking culture to a new generation, new venues and modern ways of enjoying it.

Grape and aniseed are the heart of Devrim 1923. Grape gives the distillate body and a fruity depth, while aniseed lends it that unmistakable aromatic signature unique to rakı.

Stretching from coastal regions to high plateaus, the Anatolian landscape offers an extraordinary diversity of plants and fruits.

So the food and drink culture of this land was never built on a single aroma — it thrives on contrast: ripe sweetness against lively acidity, floral delicacy against a tart fruit character, warmth against freshness...

We felt Devrim should reflect that same richness. Not by changing grape and aniseed, but by building a wider aromatic universe around them.

Fig, apricot, mandarin, rose, blueberry, sweet cherry, pistachio and pomegranate.

We didn't choose these to make our recipe look unusual or crowded. Every botanical was given a sensory role.

Our goal was never to have these components stand side by side, tasted one after another — no one drinking 1923 should feel like they're tasting through a list of ingredients. They should experience the flavor composition we designed.

Aniseed remained the leading voice, grape formed the foundation. The other botanicals brought depth, contrast and movement to that harmony.

Some aromas are perceived in the first second, some reveal themselves at the finish, and some, without ever stepping forward, simply bridge two stages of flavor.

For us, real richness isn't tasting many things at once — it's discovering a new layer in every sip.

To reach this flawless balance, we began a patient recipe-development process that lasted nearly two years. We tried different approaches, adjusted ratios down to the millimeter, and compared countless trial distillates.

One fruit could add fullness to the distillate while softening the precision of the aniseed; a floral note, dosed even slightly too high, could tip the whole profile into something perfume-like. Citrus freshness could break away from the overall profile, and nutty touches could weigh down the finish.

We found that many botanicals that looked wonderful on paper simply couldn't find harmony with the others in the still.

Our goal was never to make the most aromas visible — it was to build a balance that never breaks the whole.