Metaxa

Metaxa is a popular Greek spirit that is made from brandy (usually produced from Savatino, Sultanina, and Black Corinth grapes), a secret combination of botanicals, and the aromatic and carefully selected Muscat wines from the island of Samos.

The distillate and the wines are aged separately in oak casks before they are blended and flavored with botanicals. Every blend is then aged for a minimum of three years. Metaxa has a rich amber color, and it is praised for its smooth, complex, and intense flavor and aromas that are reminiscent of flowers, citrus, dried fruit, herbs, and spices.

Apart from specialty blends, Metaxa is available in four different versions, labeled with three, five, seven, or twelve stars—each star representing how long the drink has been aged. The drink was first invented in 1888 by Spyros Metaxa in Piraeus, a port city located within the Athens urban area.

To this day, Metaxa remains one of the hallmark Greek spirits. Although it is often incorporated into cocktails and long drinks, Metaxa is most commonly served neat or on the rocks.