mahia (“water of life” in Arabic) is the traditional spirit of Morocco and is made from figs or dates. See aqua vitae. Unlike European brandies, which are usually made from fresh ingredients, mahia is traditionally produced from dried fruit, which is moistened, mashed, fermented, and distilled. The resulting spirit is not aged.
In Morocco, as elsewhere in Islamic North Africa, most of the distillation, which dates to well before European colonization, was performed by members of the country’s Jewish community, the largest in the region. See boukha. (While the Islamic prohibition of alcohol was often violated, that violation did not generally extend to production.) The resulting products were mostly rustic affairs and sold in general stores or homes, which would become informal taverns; meeting places for both Jews and Muslims to develop friendships. Between 1948 and 1967, however, most of the country’s Jews emigrated to Israel or elsewhere, and little mahia is made today.
While mahia is often called a liqueur, it is not actually one, being unsweetened. Instead it is a spirit with fruity and anise notes. In Morocco it is often served at holiday and family gatherings. Traditionally the liquor was also used as a folk remedy; it is considered especially good for earaches when administered with an eyedropper.
Mahia is not widely available in the United States, but Nahmias et Fils, a new distillery in Yonkers, New York, is trying to broaden its appeal with a domestic product.
Huetz de Lemps, Alain. Boissons et civilizations en Afrique. Pessac, France: Presses Universitaires de Bordeaux, 2001.
By: Alice Feiring