Metaxa, 5 Stars, The Original Greek Spirit, 70cl, Pack of 1

Product Information

The 5 Star Metaxa uses a blend of wine from Samos and Lemnos, while all the other expressions use only Samos wine. Metaxa is a Greek brandy that has been around for over a century (founded in 1888, to be precise). It's made from a blend of different wines, and it has a distinctively smooth and sweet taste. Metaxa is generally held to be fruity, sweet (with honey notes) and floral.

I was drinking Metaxa years before I started writing about drink, and never thought I’d find myself reviewing it. So I have a predisposition to like the drink, but I can also now appreciate it more because I can put it into context, with cognacs and brandies and whiskies. To me it tastes like a very fine brandy, but a little more floral. It’s safe to say that if you’ve never tried Metaxa, this new 12-Star will be the perfect introduction. It really is in a class of its own. More Information The final blend is then aged for at least two years, although Metaxa has blends that have been aged for as long as 30-40 years. The maturation occurs in large, 3,500-liter butts of neutral wood. Some of the butts used by Metaxa are more than a century old. The spirit is casked at an ABV of 40% and 46%. The original first two butts are still in use at the distillery, although they have been repaired many times. Strain into your sugar rimmed old fashioned glass or low-ball glass, add a twist of lemon and enjoy! Metaxa 12-Star is the most mature of the regular range of Metaxa Greek spirits, and there’s a push on to familiarize American palates with this classic Greek drink, or the Original Greek Spirit.This is a picture of grapes of the variety muscat. They are used to produce the famous sweet Vin ... [+] Doux wine on the island of Samos. getty

Metaxa’s core line consists of 5 Star, 7 Star, 12 Star, and Private Reserve bottlings. There is also a 3 Star expression that is only available in Greece. None of these expressions carry an age statement. The different numbers are meant to convey quality levels, with Metaxa 12 and Private Reserve being the highest rated rather than maturation length. Generally speaking, the higher the number, the more aging it has received and the greater the percentage of Samos wine in the blend. In addition, there are also special bottlings of Angel’s Treasure, Single Cask and Amen, although these are not available in the US and are very difficult to find even in Europe. However, one of the known ingredients is rose water made from the May rose. Also known as Provence rose, it is a very aromatic hybrid rose developed by Dutch breeders sometime after the 17th century. May rose is also a component of Chanel No. 5 perfume. We referenced bon appetit to learn how to make a lemon peel garnish here. WHAT TYPE OF METAXA SHOULD I USE? Metaxa sources its wine from vineyards in the center of the 11.3-mile-wide island. The vineyards are typically located on mountainous ledges that receive good sun and wind exposure.Add granulated sugar to a small plate. Dip the rim of your glass into some lemon juice and then dip glass into the sugar. Although Metaxa was originally compared to a Cognac and subsequently to a brandy, it is actually not classified as either of these spirits. Brandy, by definition, does not include wine. Metaxa has the presence of very fine muscat wines from Samos, an island in the north east Aegean, and Mediterranean botanicals. As such, Metaxa is a spirit in a category of its own. The third ingredient used in crafting Metaxa is an herbal extract. The complete list of elements in the extract is known to only a handful of people.

Napacabs has the special reserve Metaxa brandy which is a 30 year old blend for a reasonable price. I have to admit that I’m biased. I’ve been enjoying Metaxa for years on my many visits to Greece, including lots of trips while researching this book when I felt I deserved a reward at the end of a long day. There’s a hint of violets in there too, probably a spin-off from the roses. Perhaps figs as well, another sweetness, and a hint of dark coffee richness. It’s certainly an interesting aroma and not quite like anything else while resembling both brandy and whisky. Peel lemon for garnish (refer to Questions below if you want directions on how to peel lemon garnish). Squeeze 2 oz of fresh lemon juice.Generally speaking, the older Metaxa expressions show more dark, dried fruit elements and a more significant spiciness and pepperiness. Younger expressions are more floral, with more noticeable rose petal aromas and fruit notes that lean more toward stone fruit, like apricot and peach, and less toward dark dried fruits. The Metaxa 12 Star is richer on the palate and offers more layered complexity. The Muscat wine that goes into the blend is more concentrated and oxidized and is made with grapes grown at higher altitudes.