METAXA AEN

The new METAXA 12 Stars, only available in travel retail where Metaxa is the first brandy in sales

METAXA 5 Stars and its box

Metaxa (Greek: Μεταξά) is a Greek distilled spirit invented by Spyros Metaxas in 1888. It is a blend of brandy and wine made from sun-dried Savatiano, Sultana and Black Corinth grape varieties. It is then blended with an aged Muscat wine from the Greek islands of Samos and Lemnos. Metaxa, exported to over 60 countries, was the first alcoholic drink consumed in space. ^[1]

Production[link]

The first production of the distillates begins with the distillation of various wine varieties (mainly Savatiano and Rhoditis) that after a double distillation are kept in cellars in relatively small, brand new, oak, of the limousine type barrels of 300–350 L usually made in France. French barrels are considered more desirable than those made in America due to the fact that the species of French Oak used in barrel production have smaller pores than its American counterpart. These small pores slow down the transfer of flavour between the barrel and the liquor contained within it, resulting in a more subtle, refined finished product. Some of the distillates are moved in large barrels of 3 cubic metre volume to mature further and used for the main body of the blend. It will mature anywhere from three (the three star Metaxa) to 30 years for the Grand Reserve.

The mean time wine is being prepared for the Alexandrian and Samian Moschatto from the area of Samos, Limnos and Patras. The wine is maturing for nearly two years in used metaxa barrels. It turns to a deep caramel colour with very rich aromas, from the moschatto with dominant the aromas of dried fruits, lavender, white roses and hints of various spices. Its flavour is rich and sweet.

The third part of the process is the most top guarded secret of the company and only a few people know the process and the precise recipe. A mixture of various spices and distilled water is prepared. To the base, the rose petals, spices and other herbal flavourings are added. The final product has a very complex and unique aromatic character that has aromas of roses, pepper, bay leaf, cinnamon and nutmeg. This mixture is allowed to "marry" for at least six months, then chilled at -6°C for 48 hours,^[2] filtered, before being bottled.

Those three blends are mixed at the final blending in such a way that the quality, taste, colour and aromas of the brandy are kept as constant as possible. Final steps involve the correction of the colour and the balancing of the alcohol levels. Most of them are mixed with young Moschatto wine to mellow the flavour.

Types of Metaxa[link]

Metaxa comes in six major varieties: Three Stars, Five Stars, Seven Stars, Twelve Stars (dry) Grand Olympian Reserve, Twelve stars and the Private Reserve. The number of stars represents the number of years the blend is matured. The three and 5 star are not as different, but the 5 star is notably drier, making the alcohol more pronounced. The seven and twelve star are more flavoursome and complex, while the Twelve-star G.O.R. is again more dry, in this case because there is no addition of wine. In either of the two latter varieties, the smell and taste of the barrel in which the brandy matured is noticeable. The house of Metaxa has recently launched a new product, the Metaxa Twelve Star containing distillates matured for 12 years adding Muscat wine from the island of Samos, unlike the Metaxa Twelve Stars Grand Olympian Reserve. Metaxa Private Reserve is the most oldest member of Metaxa family. Only 5.000 numbered decanters of Metaxa Private Reserve are on the market containing distillates aged for 30 years from Spyros Metaxas' family barrels.

The Twelve-Star version is now distributed internationally. Additional varieties and collectors' items, such as the Grand Olympian Reserve Celebration Edition and Grande Fine, are available only in some regions.

In 2008, Metaxa launched a special Reserve, the METAXA AEN, celebrating 120 years of Metaxa history. For this remarkable occasion, and for the first time in Metaxa's long history, 1888 crystal decanters were filled solely with the precious liquid of Cask No.1 of the Metaxa cellars. The Cask No.1, also known as Spyros' cask among the workers of the Metaxa cellars, is the oldest among the many thousands of barrels that make up the treasured patrimony of Metaxa. It is the first oak limousin cask that Spyros Metaxas filled in with his eau de vie de vin back in the 19th century. The Cask No.1 has spent more than eighty years blending and maturing its exceptional content and that's why the name AEN was inspired by the eternal rejuvenation and the continual blending process in the Cask No. 1, as AEN in ancient greek means forever. Metaxa AEN is the oldest product ever to be released by Metaxa. Packaged in Crystal de Sevres decanters with a gold painted stopper, the retail prices easily exceeded the $1,000 benchmark as only 1888 decanters of AEN METAXA had been available worldwide.

Metaxa is traditionally served neat, on the rocks, with tonic or mixed (usually with sours) and it is used as a basic ingredient in several cocktails such as Alexander or the "Greek Mojito"

History of Metaxa[link]

The founder of the distillery was Spyros Metaxas, born in the island of Euboia.^[3] He created the first brandy and was involved in the foundation of the first distillation facility in 1888, a little over 50 years after the Greek War of Independence. The business was soon expanded with new factories in Constantinople and Odessa. In 1900 the first exports to the United States took place and the drink became known as "the flying brandy".

METAXA family mansion in Piraeus built in 1899 as seen today

Following Metaxas' death, his sons carried on his work. Metaxa is the only Greek industry that survived the two World Wars. In 1968 a new factory was built in Kifissia suburb of Athens and, although it consists of state-of-the-art equipment, its output tastes the same as from the traditional method.

The label shows a Salaminomaho (Salamina fighter), a figure of an Ancient Greek trireme that was carved on a coin of that period, found during the excavation of the first factory in Piraeus in 1888.

Metaxa won over the toughest critics and has earned a respected position in the pantheon of fine spirits. In 1989 the company was bought by the British drinks group Grand Metropolitan (now re branded as Diageo) and was later sold to the Remy Cointreau group.^[4]

See also[link]

• Greek cuisine

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Metaxa

• The official homepage
• History and production of Metaxa

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This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (July 2011)

Christina Metaxa
Christina Metaxa (2009)
Background information
Birth name	Christina Metaxa
Born	(1992-04-04) April 4, 1992 (age 20)
Origin	Limassol, Cyprus
Genres	Pop
Occupations	Student
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	2008 - present
Associated acts	Nikolas Metaxas

Christina Metaxa (Χριστίνα Μεταξά) born April 4, 1992 is a Cypriot singer-songwriter born in Limassol. Her brother Nikolas Metaxas, who is also is a singer, won second place in the Greek version of The X Factor; he is also the creator and composer of Christina's Eurovision entry.

She now attends Brown University, in Providence, Rhode Island.

Eurovision Song Contest[link]

Christina Metaxa was chosen by the public of Cyprus on 7 February 2009 with the song "Firefly" to represent the country at the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 in Moscow, Russia.^[1] She competed in the second semifinal but failed to reach the final.

Metaxa was the spokesperson for Cyprus, giving the islands voting results during the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 final in Oslo.

See also[link]

• Cyprus in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009

References[link]

External links[link]

• Christina Metaxa official homepage

This article about a Greek singer is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

This Cypriot biographical article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e