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

Product Information

Napacabs has the special reserve Metaxa brandy which is a 30 year old blend for a reasonable price.

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. 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. 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. 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. On the nose it’s like a brandy, but a brandy with a subtle difference. There’s a floral sweetness in there but it’s a really rich floral sweetness, not the subtler notes you might get with a Scotch or a brandy. That’s because Metaxa also has botanicals in it, including rose petals.

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. 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. 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. 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.

Out of curiosity I tried it simply with a splash of soda, as I had a bottle of soda open in the fridge, and it worked really well. The Metaxa Master did say this was a versatile spirit, and he’s absolutely right. (Well, of course he is, that’s why he’s only the 5th Metaxa Master since the company was founded in 1888!) We referenced bon appetit to learn how to make a lemon peel garnish here. WHAT TYPE OF METAXA SHOULD I USE?

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. 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.

On the palate, it’s very smooth and honey sweet, with notes of dark dried fruit, chocolate, and dried and candied orange zest. It’s more peppery and exhibits a substantial palate weight and a viscous, oily character. I never cared much for the taste of it myself so I've come up with my own Metaxa drink by adding sugar syrup, water and lemon in a tall glass of ice with mint leaves. It's very cool and refreshing.A quantity of wine is blended with the aged distillate and casked at a 50% ABV for three to four additional years in Limousin oak casks. 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.