Metaxa 12 Stars 70 cl, The Original Greek Spirit

Product Information

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. Another two years, another step up in taste. There is a certain complexity to Metaxa 7 that is comparable to a very good whiskey. Metaxa 12 Metaxa 5 is when this drink really starts to come to life. Despite a difference of just two years in age, there is a huge difference in taste and this is typically recommended as the best starting point to truly experience this drink. Metaxa 7

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 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. 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? Getting 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. 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 Reserve

Bottle at a glance

After the muscat a special blend of herbs and extracts are added. This is a secret recipe and the only part that has been disclosed is a rose water extract. What is the Metaxa Secret Recipe? As a brandy, Metaxa combines local Greek wines from islands in the Aegean Sea with wine distillates that have been aging for as long as 80 years in some types. This mix of old and new wines brings together the aged aroma and the freshness of newer wine to make a refreshing blend that is bottled and sold. The second process that gives this brandy its unique taste is the mix of local herbs that are put in to add aroma and herbal flavors. While the brewery keeps the exact ingredients and amounts secret for its recipe’s sake, it’s known to include May roses and other local Mediterranean herbs that are added before aging. Metaxa is a brandy blend that is produced in Greece and sold in several different varieties, based on how many years the drink has been aged prior to bottling. Metaxa was first introduced in 1888 and has been made in the same traditional way ever since, with the recipe being a closely guarded secret.

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. 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. AenMetaxa 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. 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. 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

Metaxa is a very unique tasting brandy that is created and sold primarily in Greece, but is also exported to spirit lovers around the world. But what makes Metaxa so special, what do the 3, 5, 7 and 12 brands signify, how is it made and where can you buy it in the United States? What is Metaxa?

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There 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? 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. 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.