brandy, fig and date , though much less common than brandy from other fruits like grapes or apples, can be found throughout North Africa, eastern Europe, and the Middle East. While brandy made from dried fruits has been produced in significant volumes in the past, today such brandies are more often made in small quantities by small-scale or even illegal distillers. See moonshine. There are few that are commercially available outside of their areas of production.
Especially in Muslim North Africa, fig brandy was often made by Jewish communities, as Islam forbids alcohol consumption. This is true of both boukha, a fig brandy from Tunisia, and mahia, a fig brandy from Morocco.
See also brandy.
Kramer, Sarah Kate. “Distilling the Taste of Morocco.” Tablet, October 3, 2012. http://www.ttabletmag.com/jewish-life-and-religion/112829/distilling-the-taste-of-morocco (accessed February 4, 2021).
By: Jason Horn