What is Metaxa?
Metaxa is a Greek brandy made from various grape varieties. The varieties used are the Savatiano from the Attica area, the Sultanina grape from Crete and the Black Corinth from the sunny south of Greece. A muscat wine is made from these grapes in Samos and Lemnos; this wine is distilled twice. The distillate must then mature for at least three years in handmade oak barrels. The drink is then flavoured by adding rose petals, distilled water and various herbs. However, which herbs these are is carefully kept secret. After a long period (approximately six months) of rest at a very low temperature, this combination is filtered and bottled.
What types of Metaxa are there?
In general, Metaxa is available in at least three qualities. The "everyday", three stars, is at least three years old. Five star classic must be matured at least five years and seven stars at least seven years old. For special occasions there is even a Metaxa that is more than twenty years old, this has the quality label Metaxa Private Reserve. People had already discovered making wine 5000 years ago in ancient Greece, but it was not until 1888 that Spyros Metaxa came up with a method to produce the Metaxa as it is known today.
How much alcohol does Metaxa contain?
The alcohol content of Metaxa is at least 38 percent.