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 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. 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 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 There is a significant difference in taste, because while the unique Metaxa flavor is there throughout, there is a certain smoothness and clarity added by the maturation process, not unlike the improvements you get when you age normal brandy or even whiskey. The greater the age, the more complex the flavors are and the more enjoyable the drink will be. Metaxa 3

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. 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. 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 Information 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. 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!)Some people will call Metaxa a brandy, because of the mixture of distilled wines and other additives that create the blend. This spirit uses only wines and ingredients from the Aegean Sea area, making it a truly Greek brandy. 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. 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. 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? 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.

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. 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? 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. 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? Records the default button state of the corresponding category & the status of CCPA. It works only in coordination with the primary cookie.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. This cookie is set by Rubicon Project to control synchronization of user identification and exchange of user data between various ad services. 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.

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? 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 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 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? 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? 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.