Metaxa

METAXA

Type	Greek liqueur
Country of origin	Athens, Greece
Introduced	1888
Variants	Metaxa 3 stars, Metaxa 5 stars, Metaxa 7 stars, Metaxa 12 stars, Metaxa Private Reserve, Metaxa AEN
Website	The official Metaxa website

Metaxa (Greek: Μεταξά) is a Greek liqueur based on brandy blended with wine and flavorings. It is exported to over 65 countries.

History

The House of Metaxa was founded by a Greek merchant and entrepreneur named Spyros Metaxas, born on the island of Euboea.^[1] The name "Metaxas" means "silk merchant".^[2] He created the first Greek brandy and was involved in the foundation of the first distillation facility in 1888, a little over 50 years after the Greek War of Independence. The business soon expanded with new factories in Istanbul and Odessa. In 1900 the first exports to the United States took place and the drink became known as "the flying brandy".

Metaxa family mansion in Piraeus, built in 1899

Following Spyros Metaxas's death, his sons carried on his work. In 1968 a new factory was built in Kifissia, Athens.

Metaxa is not only one of just two Greek industries that survived both World Wars but both were founded in the curious year of 1888; the other is Karelia Fine Tobaccos SA, the one and only to be still 100% under its original & founding Greek family.

The label shows a Salamina Warrior, a figure on an ancient Greek trireme that was carved on a coin of that period, found during the excavation of the first factory in Piraeus in 1888.

The House of Metaxa has won several gold medals in international spirit competitions. In 1989 the company was bought by the British drinks group Grand Metropolitan (now called Diageo) and was later sold to the Rémy Cointreau group.^[3]

Creation

“Metaxa starts out like a brandy, with a variety of distillates made from dry white wines from different parts of Greece. After periods of ageing in oak casks, the distillates are blended and mixed with a small amount of rich muscat wine from the Greek Aegean Islands of Samos and Lemnos. Finally, Mediterranean herb and floral extracts are added – a secret recipe apart from rose petals.”^[4]

Metaxa's smoothness comes from its Muscat wine. The resulting distillates are kept in cellars, in limousin French oak barrels. French barrels are considered more desirable than those made in North America since French Oak has smaller pores than its American counterpart. This slows the transfer of flavour between the barrel and the liquor contained within.

See also

• Greek cuisine

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Metaxa.

• The official homepage
• History and production of Metaxa

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Cuisine of Greece
History	Ancient Greek cuisine Ancient Greece and wine Byzantine cuisine
Ingredients	Basil Dill Eggplant Honey Mastic Olive oil Olives Oregano Raisin Semolina Tomato Thyme
Breads	Daktyla Eliopsomo Lagana Paximadi Paximathia Pita Stafidopsomo
Salads	Dakos Greek salad Melitzanosalata Skordalia Taramosalata Tirokafteri Tzatziki
Appetizers	Bakaliaros Dolma Fava Kalamaria Kolokythoanthoi Kolokythakia Koulouri Lakerda Loukaniko Lountza Octopus Spanakopita Tyropita Yogurt
Cheeses	Anthotyros Feta Formaela Graviera Kalitsounia Kasseri Kefalotyri Kefalograviera Kopanisti Mykonou Manouri Metsovone Metsovela Mizithra Saganaki San Michali Xynotyro Xynomizithra
Dishes	Apáki Anginares alla Polita Atherina Bourdeto Garides Gemista Gigandes plaki Giouvetsi Gyros Hilopites Lagos Stifado Keftedakia Kokkinisto Kokoretsi Kreatopita Leaf vegetable Manestra Moussaka Mussels Omeletta Pastitsada Pastitsio Pilafi Savoro Sheftalia Smyrna meatballs Snails Spanakorizo Spetsofai Strapatsada Sofrito Souvla Souvlaki Syglino Swordfish Tigania Tsigareli Soups Avgolemono Bourou-bourou Fasolada Kakavia Chicken soup Magiritsa Psarosoupa Revithia Trahanas
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Wines	Agiorgitiko Aidini Assyrtiko Athiri Kotsifali Lesbian wine Limnio Mavrodafni Mandilaria Moschofilero Retsina Robola Savatiano Vilana Xinomavro
Drinks	Kitron Kumquat Mastika Metaxa Ouzo Rakomelo Sideritis Tentura Tsipouro Tsikoudia Frappé coffee
See also	Kafenio Meze Ouzeri Taverna Notable products Avgotaraho Florina pepper Greek wine Fava Santorinis Kalamata olive Krokos Kozanis (Saffron) Zante currant
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