Metaxa 12 Stars invites you to explore the drink. “Don’t drink it. Explore it.” – Mike Horn, Explorer
Metaxa Ambassador and Explorer Mike Horn has crossed the Arctic Circle and circled the equator on an 18-month expedition. In February 2017, he became the first man to have crossed solo Antarctica only towed by skis, covering 5 100km in only 57 days. He embodies the notion of journey with a campaign that embodies Metaxa and the spirit of exploration, be it circumnavigating the globe or indulging in the nuances of the Greek spirit.
In 1888, Spyros Metaxa created Metaxa, an amber spirit, crafted from blends of aged grape distillates and fine Muscat wines from the Greek island of Samos.
Constantinos (Costas) Raptis is the fifth Metaxa Master since the inception of the House in 1888. He crafted Metaxa 12 Stars from 12 blends, hence the name which incidentally does not refer to the age of the liquid.
The process begins by selecting Muscat grapes growing in in the upper part of Samos Island, and ageing the wines to create Muscat blends. Distillates are aged separately in small, medium toasted Limousin oak barrels then blended after approximately 5 years. The next step is to add herb extracts which include rose petals cultivated for that purpose. The final step is to mix all the blends, distillates, Muscat wines and herb extracts and age the liquid in 3500 litres oak casks until maturation.
Amber in colour, on the nose, Metaxa 12 Stars (40% ABV) has aromas of dried fruit such as figs and prunes, dried flowers and dark chocolate. The palate follows along with honey sweetness, liquorice, spices, vanilla and orange peel and finishes long and warming.
Metaxa 12 Stars invites you to explore the drink, to admire it, to nose it, to listen to it in the glass with an ice cube, then take the first sip. Best enjoyed neat or with an ice cube, with a slice of orange to enhance the orange peel notes or in long drinks such as with soda or with ginger ale.
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This article was originally published on June 19, 2017 on our sister website Gourmantic.
