Metaxa

Metaxa Seven Star in its characteristic "amphora" bottle

Metaxa bottle in its box

Metaxa (Greek Μεταξά) is a Greek distilled spirit invented by Spyros Metaxas in 1888.

Metaxa is a blend of brandy and wine. It is made from sun-dried Sabbatiano, Soultanina and Black Corinthian grape varieties. It is then blended with an aged Muscat wine from Samos and Lemnos. The distillates are aged in hand-made French Limousin oak casks for a minimum period of three years before being flavoured with a secret herbal mixture, that includes rose leaves, and distilled water. This mixture is allowed to "marry" for at least six months, then chilled at -6°C for 48 hours, filtered, before being bottled.

It was first sold in the United States in 1900 and is popular in many countries today. Metaxa is generally available in three versions: Three Star (at least three years old), Five Star Classic (at least five years old), and Seven Star (at least seven years old). A much rarer version is the Private Reserve (at least twenty years old). In Greece there is also a 12 star and a 16 star Version available. Additional varieties and collectors items, such as the Grand Olympian Reserve Celebration Edition, are available only in some regions. It can be served neat, on the rocks, or mixed (usually with sours).

Metaxa was one of the main sponsors of the 1982 World Cup in Spain, with its distinctive brown and yellow logo displayed on the pitch-side advertising hoardings at every game of the tournament.

In the 1980s the company was bought by the British drinks group Grand Metropolitan (now re branded as Diageo) but it was later sold to the Remy Cointreau group .

See also

• Greek cuisine

External links

• The official homepage
• Metaxa Retailer