The Spirit of Greece
We'll Drink to That
At one time if you talked about Greek spirits (of the liquid variety) there would only be two choices - ouzo as an aperitif and then Metaxa as a digestif. Gin and tonic? A Scottish single malt? Forget about it!
But all that has changed, just as the Greek wine industry has been transformed and can now compete with the best in the world. Today you can not only get international brands you can also get Greek gins, vodkas, numerous ouzos, and refined versions of some of their after-dinner drinks like tsipouro and raki.
We like to try the different Greek spirits whenever we can, so here’s a round-up of some that we’ve written about and reviewed, both on Greece Travel Secrets and Mike’s website, Travel Distilled.
Ouzo
Ouzo is the perfect aperitif on a hot day in Greece, and you can drink it before lunch or before dinner, or with meze. If you want to know more about it take a look at the Greek Ouzo page on our website.
And if you’re anywhere near Argos, Mycenae, or Nafplion in the Peloponnese, look out for an ouzo by the Verino Distillery (or go tour the distillery for a tasting). It’s a whopping 59% ABV so needs treating with respect and you can read a review of it here.
Gin
Greek gin? Yes, a number of distilleries now make it, and one to watch for is Grace Gin. It’s made on the island of Evia in a distillery run by three women friends. Another one we’ve tried was the absolutely delicious Stray Dog Gin, which is also available in the USA.
Vodka
Yes, Greece does its own vodka too, so if your tipple is a Vodka Tonic, don’t be shy about asking if they have a Greek vodka you can try. One superb vodka we’ve tried, certainly smooth enough to sip neat if you prefer, is Kastra Elion Vodka. It’s unusual in being made from a mix of olives and grain. It also comes in a lovely bottle that we now use as a flower vase. If you’ve ever been to Delphi you’ll know that from the ancient site you can gaze down over tens of thousands of olive trees that fall away down the hillslopes to the distant Gulf of Corinth. That’s where the olives for Kastra Elion come from.
Mastiha
Chios is known for its mastic trees, the sap from which is turned into all manner of things, including soap and chewing gum. But also a spirit, mastiha. One distillery that uses the mastic sap from Chios is the one we mentioned earlier, from near Argos, the Verino Distillery. It’s another excuse to visit them, to sample their Mastiha Antica.
Tsipouro
There are several after-dinner drinks that are very similar, but have different names in different places and maybe a slightly different taste. One is raki, that we’ve got very used to after several visits to Crete, where it’s an almost compulsory complimentary drink at the end of a meal.
And then there’s tsipouro and tsikoudia, which you can learn a bit about on our Greek Alcoholic Drinks page. That prolific and inventive distillery near Argos. Verino, makes its own Verino Tsipouro Ipsicaminos, which you can read about here.
Metaxa
Metaxa is the only one of these spirits which is a brand name, but it’s become so synonymous with Greek spirits that people will ask for a Metaxa if they want a brandy. It isn’t technically a brandy, as it has other ingredients, like the floral rose petals that affect its taste, and grapes from Samos.
But it is unique and as Greek as you can get. On our website you can learn what Metaxa is, and there’s a review of a 12-star Metaxa on Travel Distilled. We also have a YouTube channel where we’ve posted a video slideshow to give you an idea of what a tour of the Metaxa Distillery in Athens is like. See it here.
All this talk of spirits is making us want to try a tipple, but as we’re writing this at 10am, we’d probably better wait.
Till next time
Yia Mas!
Mike and Donna