So in my current tour of the world’s liquors, I’m in a brandy/brandy-like phase, from American apple brandy, to French apple brandy, to this, Greek brandy blended with wine and botanical extract; intriguing to say the least.
Smells of lavender, raisins, and an intense alcohol burn in the nostrils, even when wafted from several inches away. The taste is sweet and fruity with flavors of raisins, figs, plum, and Port wine. The finish is long and has lots of burn, featuring notes of Tawny Port, Madeira, caramel, orange bitters, and subtle botanicals. Overall, the flavor here isn’t bad, essentially that of a fortified wine, perhaps even a bit sweeter, but it needs to mellow out more; this has a level of burn equivalent to the bottom shelf vodka you did shots of in college (in my case, Karkov *shudder*)
Rather surprisingly, a Metaxa sidecar is absolutely phenomenal! The orange, lemon, and stone fruit flavors are balanced perfectly and the burn is completely absent.
A Metaxa Rose is remarkably smooth and complex, with somehow more apple and grenadine flavor than Calvados, with layer of stone fruits underneath.
A Metaxa Apple Jack has notes of baked apple and buttery pastry dough. This spirit is incredibly versatile!
Even a Manhattan feels elevated with a smooth body, enhanced fruitiness, and an exquisite harmony between the botanicals in the Metaxa and Angostura bitters.
It even makes one of the best damn Old Fashioneds I’ve ever had.