Greek brandy "Metaxa": history and reviews. Cognac "metaksa" - the warmth of Greece in a glass

Metaxa is an ordinary cognac, only Greek. How to drink Metaxa + Video? Like cognac! However, Metaxa is not just a “Greek brandy”, it is a unique, ancient and very strong drink, so the traditional rules for drinking it are slightly different from those known to us. Metaxa is drunk at room temperature in small sips from liquor glasses.

Let's take a closer look at how to drink Metaxa correctly.

cocktails

As the main ingredient, Metaxa is often added to many expensive and popular cocktails. Usually, three-star brandy is taken for cocktails, because it is a real blasphemy to use, for example, a five-star Metaxa Private Reserve half a century old for such purposes.

Like cognac, Metaxa goes well with tonic, better with ice. Also, this alcoholic drink can be mixed with cola or lemon juice.

Solo

Real gourmets know that cognac can be enjoyed only when drinking it in its purest form, even without snacks. Before the first sip of a well-aged Metaxa, you must first of all feel the aroma of the drink. Metaxa is not drunk in large sips. Many people prefer this drink with lemon, others - with orange! By the way, you can drink it with grapes, chocolate and caviar.

How to serve Metaxa

A glass of spherical shape on a leg is filled with a drink by a quarter. The ideal temperature is 18-20 degrees. It is strictly forbidden to preheat the glass, which is often practiced when drinking cognac. For connoisseurs of real Metaxa, such actions are blasphemous, it is believed that this harms the drink. Experienced tasters say that it is best to warm up a glass with a drink in your hand, while enjoying the outgoing aroma at the same time.

Snack

Metaxa is not the drink that is consumed during a noisy feast, because it is so impossible to focus on its aroma. Metaxa is best served with dessert, tea, olives, ice cream.

What if you really want to eat? What do the Greeks say about this, they definitely need to know how to drink Metaxa correctly? In expensive Greek restaurants, this drink is served with baked meat, broth and cream!

Related videos

Metaxa is a very popular strong Greek alcoholic drink.

This noble drink is based on distillates, that is, grape spirits and muscat grape wine, as well as various natural extracts.

Many people ask what is Metaxa is cognac or brandy.. It can be said that Metaxa – it's cognac and brandy, since distillers are at the heart of the manufacture of alcohol. Metaxa cognac is produced in several different stages.

At the first stage, an alcoholic drink is made using the same technology as brandy. For this, distillates of various grape varieties are taken.

After that, the drink is infused for a certain time, and then mixed with a small amount of muscat wine, which is made on islands such as Samos and Lemnos. The islands are in the Aegean Sea. After mixing distillates with muscat wine, a variety of Mediterranean herbs and spices are added, which manufacturers keep secret.

Brandy Metaxa is a very soft drink and softness is provided by muscat wine in its composition. Distillates can be stored in French barrels, which are made of Limousin oak, or in cellars. French barrels have fewer pores, which is why they are considered more suitable for storing distillates than North American barrels.

The history of the origin of the drink

Alcohol brand named after the first founder of the Metaxa plant. The founder of the plant is the Greek entrepreneur and trader Spears Metaxa. Spears was born on the island of Euboea.

Spears is not only the creator of the first Greek cognac, but he also founded the first distillery in 1888.

When Metaxa fell in love with a large number of connoisseurs of alcohol and became popular, Spears decided to open new factories in cities such as Istanbul and Odessa. Since 1990, Greek brandy has been exported to the US under the name Flying Brandy.

After Spears died, his family continued to manufacture Metaxa and did it quite successfully. In 1968, a new plant was opened in Kifisia, a suburb of Athens. The plant where Metaxa was made was awarded many different awards.

Range

Today, the Metaxa brandy plant produces the following types of alcoholic beverages:

Metaxa 7 stars.
Metaxa 5 stars.
Metaxa 12 stars.
Metaxa honey shot.
Metaxa private reserve.

Let's analyze the characteristics of each type:

Many people wonder with what they drink metaxa and how? There are several ways to consume Greek cognac. The first way is to take Metaxa in its pure form without adding any other ingredients and drinks. The second method of consumption is the intake of alcohol with other drinks. The third way is to use Metaxa in various cocktails.

Let's consider these methods in more detail.

First way. The drink is poured and drunk from liqueur glasses. Cooling alcohol in advance is not recommended, but it should be consumed at room temperature. This method is considered the most optimal, as it reveals the taste and aroma of brandy. With each sip, it seems that more and more heat spreads through the body. Many connoisseurs of the drink prefer to drink alcohol with ice, but with this combination, the aroma is practically not felt and this is important to consider. If Metaxa is aged for 4-5 years, then ice can be added to the drink.

As for snacks, such an appetizer as citruses and grapes is suitable for eating Metaxa in its pure form. The drink goes very well with milk chocolate and lettuce, as well as baked meat and various cheeses.

Second way. In order to reduce the strength of the drink, Metaxa is often mixed with tonic and citrus juice in a 1: 1 ratio. This type of Greek brandy is added to tea or coffee by many people. In Greece, the use of Metaxa with black tea is very popular and is considered medicinal. It is worth remembering that it is impossible to dilute Metaxa with carbonated drinks or alcohol in any case.

Third way. Very often, Metaxa is used as part of various cocktails. Bartenders from all over the world have come up with some very original cocktails in which Greek cognac plays an important role. Such cocktails are common throughout the globe.

Greek cognac Metaxa is a part of many cocktails. Cocktails that contain Metaxa as an ingredient are:

Greek mojito.
Metaxa sour.
Alexandra.
Metaxa with tea.

Greek mojito cocktail

To make a Greek Mojito, you will need the following ingredients:

mint - 3 sheets;
sugar - 2 teaspoons;
lime - 1 piece;
Metaxa - 50 milliliters;
sprite - 80 milliliters;

The first step in making a Greek mojito is to add mint and sugar to a tall glass. After that, it is necessary to squeeze lime juice into a glass and mix everything gently. The next step is to add Metaxa itself and ice cubes. The final step is to fill the remaining space with the sprite.

Metaxa sour

This cocktail recipe was invented by Spyros Metaxa. The composition of the drink includes the following ingredients:

orange juice - 30 milliliters;
lemon juice - 20 milliliters;
Metaxa - 50 milliliters;
carbonated water - 100 milliliters;
ice - 4 cubes.

In a shaker, mix ice, orange juice, lemon juice and Metaxa. The shaker should be half filled. Mix the ingredients in a shaker for 1 minute. After that, you need to pour the liquid from the shaker into a tall glass and add sparkling water to fill the remaining space.

Alexandra

This cocktail is considered to be created in honor of the English Queen Alexandra of Denmark. The Queen ruled the British Empire from 1902-1910. The ingredients in the drink are:

Metaxa brandy - 30 milliliters;
chocolate liqueur - 30 milliliters;
Baileys liqueur - 30 milliliters.

Preparing an Alexander cocktail is very easy and will not take more than 5 minutes to prepare. All the ingredients that make up the drink must be mixed in a shaker, and then this mixture is poured into a glass. Since ice is not included in the cocktail, it must be served without ice.

Metaxa with tea

This drink is considered refreshing, although the name does not show it. The composition of the cocktail includes such components as:

orange juice - 50 milliliters;
lemon juice - 20 milliliters;
Metaxa - 25 milliliters;
cold black tea - 60 milliliters;

First you need to put ice in a glass, and then pour orange juice and lemon juice, as well as Metaxa. The next step is to add cold black tea to a tall glass. It is necessary to drink a drink through a straw.

Attention, only TODAY!

Greece is one of the first countries where people began to consciously produce alcoholic beverages. Alcohol has always been present in overripe berries and fruits. The ancient Greeks learned how to cultivate grapes to make wine.

Wine and grapes were under the auspices of the god Dionysus. He was often depicted during a copious libation, surrounded by satyrs and nymphs.

Metaxa - the most famous Greek brandy

The most famous Greek alcoholic drink. Metaxa is famous all over the world, but it is produced only in Greece. Its recipe is very complicated and secret, so buying a bottle of the original drink outside of Greece can be risky and expensive.

The financial benefit is obvious. A 7-year-old metaxa in Greece is sold for 16-20 euros for a 0.7 liter bottle. In Moscow, you are unlikely to be able to buy it cheaper than 30 euros.

Metaxa is often called cognac in our country. However, we like to call any brandy cognac. Citizens of the USSR were not very spoiled by imported alcoholic beverages, and such a tradition took root in our language.

Metaxa belongs to the class of brandy, by the way, like cognac itself. Cognacs are simply called varieties of brandy produced in France in the province of Cognac.

The history of metaxa began with a fish, no matter how paradoxical it may sound. The Greek Spyros Metaksas was born into a family of fishermen, and his parents dreamed that he would continue the family business. But Spiros did not connect his future with fish and moved to the city, where he founded a company for the production of spirits.

He experimented a lot with different ingredients. Even cocoa and mastic fell into his field of vision. He tried mixing different drinks, including vermouth, absinthe, wines and liqueurs. As a result of the search, he received the recipe for the drink, which is now called “metaxa”. This event is believed to have taken place in 1888.

The drink became popular in Greece, and later in other countries. Especially actively they began to buy it for import to the United States, where at that time there was another economic boom.

Spyros was assisted by his brothers Elias and George. The Metaxa company is still a “family-owned” company, which made it possible to keep the secret of the drink recipe.

It is known for sure that the drink is a mixture of grape wine from three grape varieties and brandy made from grapes and black currants. Herbs are added to the mixture, which ones are not exactly known, but there is information that rose petals are definitely used.

The drink is infused in special barrels that the company buys in Italy. You can see them in the photo on the right. Depending on the exposure time, metaxa receives its “stars”.

Metaxa 3 stars is considered the lowest quality. Many Greeks say that this drink is only suitable for culinary purposes.

Metaxa 5 and 7 stars has great taste and this is the option we recommend to buy during a trip to Greece.

Metaxa 12 stars already belongs to the elite varieties of alcohol. Of course, it is worth trying such a drink, but the prices are already “biting”.

Greece is famous for its alcoholic national drinks. Of these, the most famous is Metaxa. What is this? In fact, this is a mixture of brandy and wine, which was invented in 1882 by Spyros Metaxas in Kifisia. The drink was widely recognized and after six years it began to be exported. Officially, they did not call it either brandy or cognac, since this is something special.

History of occurrence

So, Metaxa appeared more than 120 years ago, its production was based on the traditions of ancient Greek winemaking. In 1888, the first factory for the mass production of the drink opened in Piraeus. 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 at sea at Salamis.

The USA is the country where such a drink as Metaxa is most common. What is it for Americans? This is cognac in its purest form, but grape aging. Another large country where it is preferred is Germany.

Leafing through the pages of our history, you can see that Russian emperors and empresses loved Greek alcoholic drinks: the Greek company was the official supplier of the royal court for up to a year. In Athens, they still keep the Russian Tsar in memory of this.

Production

For the manufacture of 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, the 60-degree cognac "Metaxa" is blended with a special muscat wine, which is produced on the islands of Lemnos and Samos, and an infusion of rose petals and herbs. Excerpt wine is at least 12 months.

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

Metaxa for Greeks

The Greeks to the question: "Metaxa - what is it?" answer ambiguously. For them, this is not just a strong alcoholic drink - it is a magnificent bouquet, an incomparable aroma and a tribute to traditions. Cognac has a strength of 40%, tastes like French, but with a special flavor of liquor. They do not drink it, they savor it - slowly sipping, enjoying the aroma and taste, feeling how warmth spreads through the body with each sip.

Kinds

Depending on the exposure, there are several types of 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. This collectible drink has been aged for 50 years. There are barrels with 60-, 90-year exposure, but even 7 stars arouses admiration among connoisseurs. The mixture is often used to make cocktails. If desired, ice, lemon are added to them. Have you heard of a drink like Centenaru Metaxa? What is this? This is a drink that is poured into special porcelain vessels.

The secret of the success of the drink is a successful recipe, which is kept in deep secrecy. The export volume is 60%, 120 countries buy this brandy. Since 2000, the manufacturer has been 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.

Greek cognac Metaxa is a well-known brand of the country. This world famous alcoholic drink is the best among the Greek spirits. There are alcoholic beverages, the composition of the raw materials of which is heterogeneous and, moreover, its maturation occurs at different periods of time. These special drinks are born difficult - in complex blends. The basis of their creation is not a wine-making tradition, but a dream or, perhaps, an idea. Cognac Metaxa (metaxa) is one of them.

Spyros Metaxa, a merchant of colonial goods, had long had a dream - to create such a strong alcoholic drink , which would have many differences from other distillates. It should be spicy and rich, tender and fragrant, and also have an excellent southern taste. alcoholic drink , which has the magical qualities of a reminder of the sunny Motherland, warming the soul and heart away from home. In 1882 Spyros built a factory for the production alcoholic beverages in the city of Kifisia. For almost 10 years, he has been searching for the magic formula to create a fabulous drink. metaxa.

The dreamer's efforts were crowned with success, and in 1890 an exquisite and subtle brand appeared to the world. Already in 1900, the drink began to be delivered to America, where it received the name "flying brandy". And in 1915 at an exhibition of wine products in San Francisco alcoholic Metaxa drink wins the Grand Prix.

Unfortunately, Spiros Metaxa leaves the mortal world by a fatal accident. Despina, his wife, takes over the management of the wine industry. She successfully continued the work begun by her husband. Grandchildren Spiros Jr. and Ilias became the head of the enterprise after the death of their mother. In a short time, the brothers were able to bring production Greek cognac Metaxa to a new level. Firstly, the quality of products was improved and, secondly, marketing moves were successfully undertaken by Spiros: advertising metaxes in some sporting events.

In 1968, a new plant was built in Kifisia. It is still the main production facility for the production of metaxes . And already in 1989, the Metaxa family moved away from wine production, the trademark was bought by the French company Remy Cointreau.

Strong alcoholic drink , best known in Greece, is metaxa (a mixture of muscat wine and brandy). For more than 100 years, the unique recipe for its preparation has been kept in the strictest confidence. And yet, there are a few things about him:

To produce this extraordinary alcoholic drink some of the best grape varieties are used: Savvatiano, Mavro and Sultanina.

Before using the grapes, they are dried in the sun, and then wine seventy-degree alcohol is made. It is bottled in large oak barrels, the volume of which is 300-500 liters.

The aging process of the drink lasts about 3 years. After that, it is poured into other large barrels and mixed with muscat wine.

Blending takes place over 2 years. The resulting drink is cooled to 8 degrees. Besieged. Filtered.

Cognac Metaxa has a taste unlike any other - sweet, young, fruity. Its fortress is 40%. . Several types are produced in Greece metaxes :

Three-star (3 stars) - exposure 3 years.

Five-star (5 stars) - exposure 5 years.

Seven-star (7 stars) - exposure is 7 years.

Metaxa-Sntenaru - contained in special porcelain vessels.

There are varieties metaxes 12- and 16-star. This collectible alcoholic drink aged for 50 years and distributed exclusively in Greece.

Description of some species metaxes :

Metaha 5 stars - from five-year alcohols. It is obtained from distillates that have been aged for 5 years in oak barrels and the best Muscat wines from the islands of Limnos and Samos. Rose petals and an infusion of fragrant Mediterranean herbs improve the taste. It has a bright floral aroma, notes of oak, linden honey and yellow fruits. The color of the drink is velvety honey.

Metaha 7. In the rich taste inherent only in this drink, one can feel the delicate aroma of Muscat wine, hints of vanilla and sweet spices. Seven-year-old brandy enjoys special preference on the international market. It is poured into bottles of the finest work in the form of a Greek amphora.

Aen Metaxa - It is stored in the oldest barrel at the distillery under No. 1. There is a need to add at least 1-2 drops of aromatic elixir from this barrel to all Metaxa branded products. Many generations of master winemakers for 80 years select a fraction of the most exceptional blends and add to this barrel. Aen is the quintessence of two hundred blends, some of which are over 80 years old. Light shades of aromas: coffee, almonds, spices, citrus fruits, dried fruits, wild honey. Gives extravagance spicy mushroom note. It is considered the pinnacle of creativity of winemakers.

legendary metaxu they drink not only in its pure form, it is also good in cocktails. Here are the recipes for some of them:

Metaxa sour (Metaxa sour)

Metaxa - 50 ml, juices: lemon - 20 ml, orange - 30 ml, sparkling water, ice cubes.

Fill shaker halfway with ice. Pour in juices and cognac. Beat 1 minute. Pour into a glass. Top up with soda water. An orange slice is suitable as a decoration. This cocktail was born along with Metaxa cognac and became very popular. A pleasant shade of citrus fruits came to many to taste.

Greek mojito

This cocktail, unlike the standard one, uses metaxa not rum. 2 teaspoons of sugar, a few mint leaves, lime juice are placed in a tall glass. All this should be rubbed with a muddler. Then add ¾ cup of ice, 50 ml metaxes . A glass of sparkling water is added.

Metaxa with strong tea

20 ml of lemon syrup is poured into a glass with ice, 50 ml of orange liqueur and 25 ml of metaxes . Then pour in 60 ml of strong cold tea.

cherry cocktail

40 ml of cherry juice, 10 ml of lemon juice, 60 ml of metaxa, sparkling water and ice are mixed in a glass.

Cocktail "Brandy Alexander"originally had the name Alexandra and was created in honor of the Queen of England

1/3 part each: cream, brandy ( metaxa ) and shake the chocolate liqueur in a shaker. Baileys liqueur is sometimes used instead of cream. Served in a special glass with a straw, without ice.

This exquisite alcoholic drink drink uncooled (so as not to freeze the aroma) in small sips, slowly. Already after the first sip you will feel the wonderful aroma and unforgettable taste of cognac. With each next sip, a warm wave of bliss will begin to envelop you.

Some lovers drink metaxu with lemon and ice cubes or lemon and milk chocolate bar. You can serve a small sandwich with caviar. Harmonize with metaxa seafood dishes and green salad leaves, cheese and grapes.

To date metaxa is one of the top 50 alcohol brands in the world. About 10-15 years ago, it was very popular in Russia as well. After this brand has slightly reduced activity. Now we can talk about his second wind.

Buy greek cognac metaxu you can easily in branded alcohol stores or through an online store. The average price of this exquisite