"Metaxa" - what it is and what it is drunk with

Greece is famous for its alcoholic national drinks. Of these, the most famous is Metaxa. What is it? In fact, it is a mixture of brandy and wine, which was invented in 1882 by Spiros Metaxas in Kifizia. The drink was widely recognized and six years later it was exported to foreign countries. Officially, he was not called either brandy or brandy, as this is something special.

History of occurrence

So, Metaxa appeared more than 120 years ago, its manufacture was based on the traditions of winemaking in Ancient Greece. In 1888, Piraeus opened the first factory for mass production of the drink. The emblem of cognac was an ancient coin, which was found during the construction of the plant. She personified the victory of the Greeks over the Persians in the battle of the sea at Salamis.

The USA is the country where the most popular drink is Metaxa. What is it for the Americans? It is cognac in its pure form, but grape aging. Another large country where it is preferred is Germany.

As you leaf through the pages of our history, you can see that Russian emperors and empresses loved Greek alcoholic beverages: the Greek company was the official supplier of the royal court before the 1917 revolution . In Athens, still keep the gold medal of the Russian Tsar in memory of this.

Production

To make this brandy, double cognac distillation of wine material from Crete, Attica and Corinth (regions of Greece) is used. After that it is aged from three to fifteen years in oak barrels. Further, 60-degree cognac "Metaxa" is blended with a special muscat wine, which is produced on the islands of Lemnos and Samos, and infusion of petals of roses and herbs. The aging of the wine is not less than 12 months.

At the final stage, the drink is poured into oak barrels, put in a cold place and wait for six months. At the end of this period, the mixture is filtered and bottled using original bottles. Currently, use branded logos and stickers.

Metaxa for the Greeks

Greeks to the question: "Metaxa - what is this?" Answer ambiguously. For them, this is not just a strong alcoholic beverage - it's a magnificent bouquet, an incomparable aroma and a tribute to tradition. Cognac has a strength of 40%, to taste like a French, but with a special taste of liquor. They do not drink it, they relish it - slowly sipping, enjoying the aroma and taste, feeling the warmth spreading through each body.

Kinds

Depending on the exposure, there are several types of a noble drink:

• Three years - "Metaxa" 3 stars;
• Five years - Metaxa 5 stars;
• Seven years - Metaxa 7 stars.

Only in Greece there are varieties of 12 and 16 stars. For 50 years this collection drink has been maintained. There are barrels and with 60-, 90-year-old aging, but even 7 stars causes admiration in connoisseurs. The mixture is often used for making cocktails. If desired, they add ice, lemon. Have you heard of such a drink as "Centenaru-metaxa"? What is it? It is a drink that is poured into special porcelain vessels.

The secret of the success of a drink is a good recipe, which is kept in deep secrecy. The volume of exports is 60%, 120 countries buy this brandy. Since 2000, the manufacturer is part of the Remy Cointreau group of companies. And now "Metaxa" is listed in the top 100 most popular alcoholic beverages in the world. Agree, this speaks for itself. Thus, Metaxa is a symbol of Greece, the legacy of Dionysus in a glass container.