Metaxa 12 Stars 70 cl, The Original Greek Spirit

Product Information

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. Metaxa begins life as a brandy, or rather a number of brandies. The manufacturers take brandies that have been brewed from different batches of dry white wine by an assortment of distilleries across Greece. The resulting brandy blend is then aged in oak casks before being added to a specific type of muscat wine produced on the islands of Samos and Lemnos. This helps to impart a richness to the brandy mixture, adding extra depth and bringing some of that unique Metaxa flavor. Metaxa doesn’t hold its fame amongst the Greek people as much as it does elsewhere in the world. It’s been listed as a part of the top 3 best imported spirits in many EU countries and has won the gold medal in many international spirit brewing competitions. While it is usually the number 1 premium spirit in Greece, not as many locals drink it as they did in the past. HOW IS METAXA MADE?

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!) The manufactures don’t give up their secrets easily. What we know for certain is that no chemicals are used and only natural ingredients are added, with extracts and tinctures potentially used to potentiate the flavor of specific herbs. You will pay very little for Metaxa in local bars and restaurants, with the 5 and 7 versions priced around the same as the most basic of whiskey and vodka imports. The 12 is a little more expensive of course, but there’s no better place to enjoy it as this drink is cheaper in Greece than it is in any other country. This well aged brandy has strong roasted flavors of chocolate, fig, prune, butterscotch, and other tasty hints you’ll get as you sip. It is very smooth to drink and has a rich flavor and strong aroma that mix together for a very pleasing taste. Private ReserveThere is a fruit taste to it and notes of citrus, which suggests the use of something like orange blossom or orange oil. There is also a floral taste, imparted both by the rose petals and potentially something like jasmine. Really though, it’s all speculation and no one except the few who make it know what goes into Metaxa. What Are the Different Types of Metaxa? There are four main varieties of Metaxa: 3, 5, 7 and 12. There are also special edition versions, such as their Private Reserve. The number references the amount of time that the blend has spent in maturation. So, Metaxa 3 has spent three year in those French oak barrels, Metaxa 5 has spent 5 years, and so on.

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 InformationGetting any of the type of Metaxa is going to cost you, as is made partially from some of the originally barreled Mextaxa wine. It is an incredibly rare brandy that can be aged for as long as 80 or more years. The flavors, aroma, and smoothness are one of the kind and you won’t find this sort of mix very often. The other two Metaxas in their regular range are 5-Star and 7-Star, so you can figure out that they contain spirits aged for at least five and seven years respectively. So while the number of stars isn’t a comment on how ‘good’ the spirits are, you would naturally expect the 12-star to be richer and more complex, thanks to the extra time in the barrel. More About the Metaxa Stars It’s really all down to preference and budget. If you have the money for it and you enjoy a more refined spirit, then Metaxa 12 will suit. If you’re not an experienced brandy drinker then you might be happy with 3, as is the case if you don’t want to spend much money. For me, Metaxa 5 is usually enough to enjoy the great taste without blowing the bank, while Metaxa 7 strikes the perfect balance between cost and taste for when I want to splash out a little. Where to Find Metaxa in Greece Just keep in mind that you will always pay more for this drink in tourist towns. Everything is fair game in these areas and you’ll see huge markup on drink and food. A good indicator of a good bar is whether or not the locals go there. So if you look around and can only hear English, then you’re probably somewhere that only really caters for tourists and somewhere you will pay top dollar for local drinks.

Only one batch of this type of brandy is made per year. The added distillates are aged for as long as 30 years, giving it incredible flavors rich in oaky tastes and even hinting at cigar tobacco. One of the defining characteristics of this type is the spiced orange flavor that usually stands out in each sip. Aen 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. The ultimate Metaxa, the 12 has been aged like a high quality single malt and this, combined with the flavors that make this drink so unique, ensures this is a truly memorable brandy. Which Metaxa is Best? Metaxa is a stylish product. It comes in a solid dark blue box and the bottle inside is equally handsome, with a matching blue top and gold lettering for the label. With the deep brown spirit inside, it certainly looks classy and very tempting. Records the default button state of the corresponding category & the status of CCPA. It works only in coordination with the primary cookie.Having been aged for 2 more years than the 5 star type, 7 star Metaxa will showcase a bit more of the nutty, earthy flavors than fruity flavors. The fruit flavors that are present resemble riper, heartier fruits like peaches or raisins rather than light citrus fruits. Alongside the flavor changes, this brandy is also smoother than the 5 star. 12 Star The man behind the brand was Spyros Metaxas, who founded the House of Metaxa through which he passed on the business and the Metaxa recipe. How is Metaxa Made? In the US, Metaxa needs to be imported, but it is very popular here and has been since it was first introduced over 100 years ago. In fact the success of Metaxa in Greece was one of the driving forces behind the brand’s success overall and perhaps the main reason it is now seen as one of the 100 biggest drinks brands in the world. Later, when cognac became strictly defined Metaxa and other drinks had to redefine themselves, and Metaxa became a brandy. For years it was regarded as the Greek brandy. But then the spirits world defined what a brandy was, and brandy was a drink that, amongst other things, did not contain wine. 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.