Metaxa Ouzo Greek Anise Spirit 750ml

The mastictree — Pistacia lentiscus var. Chia —grows in the Mediterranean basin. Butonly on the island of Chios, in thesouthern Aegean Sea, does the treeproduce the aromatic resin that hasmade it one of the most prized and themost specifically Greek botanicalingredients in the world. The "tears ofChios" — the drops of crystallizedresin that weep from cuts in the mastictree's bark — have been harvested onChios since antiquity. Greek writersmentioned them. Ancient Egyptians usedthem in embalming. Today they are aProtected Designation of Originingredient whose cultivation iscontrolled entirely by the cooperativeof Chios mastic growers — an island'smost specific treasure, availablenowhere else on earth.

Spyros Metaxafounded his distillery in Piraeus in1888 — the year that gave Greece whatwould become one of its most recognizedand most internationally distributedspirits brands. The Metaxa brandy — theamber Mediterranean spirit blended fromwine distillates, Muscat wine, and aproprietary botanical blend — made thehouse famous worldwide. The ouzo was adifferent expression of the samephilosophy: take the finestMediterranean botanicals, distill themin small batches in copper pot stills,and create something that issimultaneously the most genuine and themost specifically Greek expression ofwhat the ouzo tradition can achieve.

What distinguishes Metaxa Ouzo from thecategory is the mastic. Most ouzoproducers work with aniseed andsometimes fennel as their primarybotanical identity. Metaxa adds thetears of Chios — the resinous, slightlypine-adjacent, slightly sweet,specifically Aegean quality that noother botanical in the Mediterraneanproduces. The Liquor Barn's confirmedcharacterization: 88 Points from WineEnthusiast. The official Metaxacharacterization: "sea breeze andfloral with mastic notes." The passionspirits importer note: "aniseed,licorice, iris flower, sea breeze."

Water turns it milky white. Ice makes itsing. Mezze makes it complete.

Origins & Craftsmanship

TheHouse of Metaxa was founded in 1888 bySpyros Metaxa in Piraeus — the portcity that serves as Athens' maritimegateway, whose specific positionat the junction of Greek traderoutes made it the natural home fora spirits producer whose productswould travel to every cornerof the world. Today Metaxa is owned byRémy Cointreau and produced inAthens, with the ouzo expressioncontinuing the original recipe from theearly 1900s.

Ouzo is a ProtectedDesignation of Origin spirit legallydefined under Greek and EUlaw — it must be produced in Greece orthe specific area of Cyprus,and must be flavored primarily withanise or aniseed. The authentic ouzomethod requires thebotanicals to be distilled rather thansimply macerated —the copper pot still distillation thatconcentrates the anise's most aromaticand the most specificallycomplex essential oil compounds,producing a spirit ofgenuine aromatic richness rather thanthe simpler profile ofmacerated anise spirits.

Metaxa Ouzobegins with a base of Tsipoura —pressed grape pomace, thetraditional Greek base spirit whosegrape origin is one of the mostspecifically authentic ouzoproduction details, connecting thespirit to Greece's wine heritage asdirectly as the island's vineyards.The six Mediterranean botanicals arethen distilled in 100% copper potstills in small batches:

Aniseed (Anise) — the primarybotanical and the legal requirement forouzo classification, providingthe sweet, slightly licorice-adjacentflavor identity that definesthe category. Metaxa's aniseed is themost specifically aromatic and the mostauthentic quality available fromMediterranean anise cultivation.

Fennel — the frond-like herb whoseslightly sweet, slightly herbal,anise-adjacent character adds depth andcomplexity beyond pure aniseed alone.

Coriander — adding the mostunexpected and the most specificallycitrus-spiced secondary botanicalcontribution — warm, slightlyorange-adjacent, and adding genuinecomplexity to the anise-fennelfoundation.

Chios Mastic (Mastiha)— the most specifically and the mostdramatically unusual ouzo botanicalavailable in any commercially producedGreek anise spirit. The crystallizedresin of the Pistacia lentiscus tree,cultivated exclusively on Chios under acenturies-old cooperative tradition,whose specific combination of pineresin, slightly cedar-adjacent, andspecifically Aegean aromatic compoundsadds a dimension to Metaxa Ouzo that noother ouzo produces at commercialscale.

Iris flower — adding themost delicate and the most specificallyfloral secondary aromatic from theofficial Metaxa sensory note.

Plusadditional botanicals completing thesix-botanical profile.

The "ouzoeffect" — the most specifically and themost immediately recognizable visualphenomenon in Greek spirits: when wateror ice is added to ouzo, the clearspirit turns milky white as the watermolecules displace the alcohol that waskeeping the anise essential oilsdissolved, causing the anethole toprecipitate into suspension and createthe distinctive louche that has beenthe signature of Greek anise spiritssince antiquity.

Critics Reviews

Wine Enthusiast — 88 Points:
Confirming Metaxa Ouzo's quality standingamong Greek anise spirits.

Liquor Barn (confirmed comprehensive tasting):
"Pungent aniseed leadsimmediately, followed by the herbaceouscomplexity of fennel and a subtleresinous quality from the Chios mastic.The palate is medium-bodied andanise-forward with a faint sweetnessfrom the grape base and a warmingfinish."

Passion Spirits / Official Metaxa characterization:
"Sea breeze and floralwith mastic notes. Aniseed, licorice,iris flower, sea breeze. Perfectlybalanced with anise, a rare andtreasured Greek ingredient. Masticbrings a gentle sea breeze sense and avelvety texture to the spirit."

Liquorama (confirmed tasting notes):
"Aroma: A fragrant bouquet dominatedby sweet anise, complemented by subtleherbal undertones and a hint ofmastic's pine-like freshness. Palate: Asmooth and velvety texture withpronounced flavors of licorice andanise, balanced by herbal notes and atouch of sweetness. Finish: Along, warming finish withlingering anise and a delicate herbalaftertaste."

Metaxa official:
"Thefine character of the mastic isperfectly balanced with anise. Thismethod brings the refreshing feeling ofthe sea breeze intoMETAXA Ouzo, that subtly guides throughthe bouquet of botanicalsand spices and finallysurprises with complexity and balance."

Tasting Profile

Nose
Crystal clear — pure and bright, thecopper pot still distillation's mostimmediately visible quality statementbefore the water transforms it. Thenose opens with the most immediatelyand the most powerfully aromaticquality of any Greek anise spirit:sweet anise leads with theconcentrated, warm, slightlylicorice-adjacent aromatic that ouzo'sprimary botanical produces mostcompletely at 40% ABV. Subtle herbalundertones follow from fennel andcoriander — slightly green, slightlywarm, and adding the secondarycomplexity that distinguishes Metaxafrom simpler single-botanical anisespirits. Then the mastic arrives: thehint of pine-like freshness and seabreeze quality that Chios masticspecifically and exclusively produces,adding the most memorably unusualand the most specificallyMediterranean secondary aromaticquality available in anycommercially produced ouzo. Iris floweradds the most delicate and themost specifically floral secondarydimension. The sea breeze quality — notmetaphorical but specifically realin Metaxa's ouzo production philosophy— threads througheverything, the coastal Aegeancharacter that the mastic and thecopper still distillation togetherproduce most elegantly.

Palate
Smooth, velvety, andanise-forward — the confirmed palatecharacterization across every source.The entry delivers the pronouncedanise and licorice character mostimmediately — bold, warm, and entirelydefining. Fennel adds the green, herbalsecondary dimension. The mastic'svelvety texture contribution is mostdirectly palate-apparent —adding a smoothness and a roundnessthat the mastic resin's specificchemical compounds deposit in a waythat no other botanical achieves.Herbal notes balance the sweetness. Atouch of sweetness from the Tsipouragrape base rounds the mid-palate.Coriander adds the most subtle and themost specifically spiced tertiaryquality. The sea breeze quality —coastal, mineral, slightlysalt-adjacent — provides the mostspecifically Mediterranean and the mostspecifically Aegean secondarycharacter.

Finish
Long, warming,and anise-persistent. Lingering aniseand a delicate herbal aftertaste carrythe close in the most consistentlyconfirmed and the most accurate finishcharacterization. The mastic's resinousquality persists as the mostspecifically unusual and the mostmemorably distinctive secondary finishnote — slightly pine, slightly cedar,entirely Chios. A long, warming closethat invites the next sip and the nextplate of mezze.

Quick Overview

Serving & Occasion

Thetraditional Greek serve is the mostculturally authentic and themost specifically beautiful:pour neat into a tall,narrow ouzo glass (or smalltumbler), add cold water to taste— the clear spirit turningmilky white as the anetholelouches — and sit down to mezze.No rushing. No standing.The Greek relationshipwith ouzo is fundamentally arelationship with leisure, withcompany, and with the specificpleasure of a long afternoon thathas nowhere to go. Iceworks equally well — thecold releasing the mastic's seabreeze quality most vividly.Serve chilled, straight fromthe refrigerator, for themost aromatic neatexperience.

Cocktail Suggestions

Classic Ouzo and Water (the only serve that matters in Greece)
2 oz Metaxa Ouzo ·cold still water to taste.The ratio is personal —typically 1:1 to 1:3 ouzo to water.The milky transformation isthe most beautiful visualphenomenon in any spirits serve,and the dilution opens themastic and the iris flowernotes most completely.

Ouzo Spritz
1.5 oz Metaxa Ouzo ·grapefruit soda · fresh lemon ·mint sprig. Built over ice.The grapefruit amplifiesthe citrus-spice of thecoriander while the mint bridgesthe fennel's herbal quality— a contemporary Aegeanaperitivo.

Greek Negroni
1 ozMetaxa Ouzo · 1 oz Campari · 1oz sweet vermouth. Stirredover ice, expressed orangepeel. The anise characterand the mastic's pine-resinquality carry throughCampari's bitterness in aMediterranean Negroni variation ofgenuine distinction.