Dusk settles over the port of Piraeus, where the scent of roasted nuts and ripe grapes drifts through the tavernas, and the glass on the counter rarely stays empty for long. Metaxa 5 Stars is the bottle reached for first when the evening begins – light, golden, and carrying a trace of Mediterranean warmth.
Expert's Description
Metaxa 5 Stars is a Greek brandy built on aged grape eaux-de-vie and sweet muscat wines, bottled at 38%.
Strictly speaking, Metaxa is not a pure brandy but the house's own invention: a blend of grape eaux-de-vie distilled from grapes including Savatiano, Sultana and black Corinth, combined with aged, sweet muscat wines from the islands of Samos and Lemnos and a secret mix of Mediterranean botanicals. The recipe dates back to 1888, when Spyros Metaxas founded his house in the port city of Piraeus, and the herbal blend remains a closely guarded secret to this day.
5 Stars sits at the entry point of Metaxa's star hierarchy and carries the youngest share of eaux-de-vie in the range. The stars do not signal age the way a vintage year would – instead they indicate how large a proportion of older distillate goes into the blend, and the more stars, the deeper and rounder the character becomes.
Today Metaxa is part of the French spirits house Rémy Cointreau, though production still takes place in Greece, where distillate and muscat wine are brought together following the same base recipe as more than a century ago.
Tasting Notes
Nose
Fresh grapes and a touch of honey meet a hint of orange peel and light spice – inviting and light rather than heavy.
Palate
Soft and round, with ripe grapes, caramelised sugar and a faint herbal note that adds depth without taking over.
Finish
Short to medium, mildly sweet, closing with a gentle spiced warmth.
Specifications
Name: Metaxa 5 Stars
Distillery: Metaxa
Country: Greece
Type: Greek Brandy
ABV: 38%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 5202795120054
Serving suggestion: Enjoy over ice or as the base of a light long drink
Flavour Profile
Grape Eau-de-Vie · Honey · Orange Peel · Light Spice
Did You Know?
The stars on a Metaxa label do not mark years of ageing the way whisky age statements do – they instead show the share of older eaux-de-vie in the final blend, a system Spyros Metaxas himself introduced so the house could control style without being tied to a single vintage year.
