🥃 Metaxa

Is Metaxa a brandy? The producer itself says no. Metaxa (METAXA) is a Greek spirit brand created by Spyros Metaxa in 1888. According to the producer, the drink combines aged grape distillates with sweet muscat wines from the islands of the Aegean Sea and a bouquet of Mediterranean botanicals. The producer itself calls it not a brandy but "The Original Greek Spirit".

The timeline on the brand's website runs as follows: 1888, creation of the drink; 1900, start of exports to America; 1968, completion of the move of production from Piraeus to Kifissia. In 2000 the French group Rémy Cointreau bought the brand together with Bols Royal Distilleries. In its 2016/17 registration document, Metaxa is described as a Greek dark spirit drink made from a blend of grape distillates and aged muscat wine; the production company operates in Greece.

The producer sources its muscat wine mainly from Samos. The brand's website speaks of direct contracts with the island's growers and of its own LIKNON vineyard, bought in 2017 and certified organic at the end of 2023. The drinks in the range are distinguished by the number of stars (5, 7 and 12) and by separate series.

Why not "brandy"? Under EU Regulation 2019/787, brandy (category 5) is made from wine spirit, aged in oak and not flavoured. Metaxa, according to the producer's description, also contains muscat wine and botanicals, and the brand positions it as a spirit drink of its own. Metaxa has no EU geographical indication: it is a trademark, not a protected place name.

Why this matters to you. The stars on the bottle are the producer's range designation; unlike VS or XO in cognac, they are not defined by the specification of a protected name. Check the composition and strength on the label of the particular bottle. WHO reminds: there is no safe dose of alcohol.