ratafia (n.)

c. 1600, probably picked up in India (as were Portuguese araca, Spanish arac, French arack), via Hindi arak, Tamil araku, etc., ultimately from Arabic araq "distilled spirits, strong liquor," literally "sweat, juice;" used of native liquors in Eastern countries, especially those distilled from fermented sap of coconut palm, sometimes from rice or molasses.

coarse candy made from sugar or molasses boiled down and cooled, 1817, related to toffee, but of uncertain origin; perhaps associated with tafia (1763), a rum-like alcoholic liquor distilled from molasses, presumably of West Indian or Malay (Austronesian) origin (perhaps a Creole shortening of ratafia). On this theory, the candy would have been made from the syrup skimmed off the liquor during distillation.