The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails

Metaxa


Metaxa is a Greek brandy-based liqueur brand founded by the entrepreneur Spyros Metaxa (1843–1909) in 1888. The amber-hued liqueur, which comes in a bottle bearing the image of an ancient Salamina warrior, is a blend of local brandies with muscat wine and a secret mix of botanicals, including rose petals. See brandy and botanical. It is customarily sipped neat, with a single ice cube, but it is also used in variations of classic cocktails, such as the Sidecar or Mint Julep. The brand offers a range of aged expressions, including 5 Stars, 7 Stars, 12 Stars, and the small-batch Private Reserve. Metaxa also bottles the Honey Shot, which is made with dark honey from ancient Egio. The brand is now owned by the French Remy-Cointreau company.

See also Mint Julep and Sidecar.

“The History of Metaxa.” https://www.metaxa.com/house-of-metaxa/history/ (accessed April 4, 2021).

By: Alia Akkam