If you’re in the mood for something sweet and sour try out the METAXA Sour, a spin on the classic Pisco Sour. This cocktail features Metaxa 12 Stars, lemon juice, sugar syrup, egg white, and Angustura bitters for an added touch of spice.
What Is Metaxa?
For those of you who might not know Metaxa yet, this dark amber spirit is Greece’s answer to French brandy, though it really lives in a class of its own. Spyros Metaxa created it back in 1888, blending aged Muscat wines from the island of Samos with aged white wine distillates and Mediterranean botanicals. The result tastes of honey, almonds, and stone fruits like apricots and peaches, with a lovely aroma of rose. Want the full story? Check out my Lush Guide to Metaxa for everything you need to know before you pour.
Metaxa Meets the Pisco Sour
The Pisco Sour is one of the most iconic cocktails in the world, built on that classic sour formula of a base spirit, citrus, sweetener, and egg white for a silky finish. Swap the pisco for Metaxa and you get something just as bright but a little warmer and rounder, thanks to that honey and stone fruit character. If you haven’t tried the original yet, my Pisco Sour recipe is a great place to start.
Why Lush Life Loves It
I adore this one because it takes a drink most people only think of as South American and gives it a proper Greek accent. The Metaxa brings a different kind of depth than a typical base spirit would, and that hit of honey and stone fruit against the lemon is just gorgeous. It comes together in 7 minutes with five ingredients, so there is truly no excuse not to make it tonight.
A Note on the Egg White
The egg white here is what gives the Metaxa Sour that silky, frothy top, and it’s worth doing properly. Give the shaker a hard, vigorous shake, ideally a dry shake first without ice, then again with ice, to really build that foam. If you’d rather skip raw egg, 20 ml of aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas) works as a lovely vegan swap and whips up just as well.
More Metaxa Cocktails to Try
- Metaxa Negroni, made with Metaxa 12 Stars, Campari, and sweet vermouth
- Metaxa Espresso Martini, a Greek twist on the classic
- Metaxa Spritz, for when you want something lighter
- Metaxa Old Fashioned 1888, just three ingredients and a nod to the year Metaxa was born
FAQ
What kind of alcohol is Metaxa?
Metaxa is a Greek spirit made from a blend of aged Muscat wines, aged white wine distillates, and Mediterranean botanicals. It’s often compared to brandy or cognac, but its flavor profile of honey, almonds, and stone fruit sets it apart.
What’s the best way to drink Metaxa?
Metaxa is lovely sipped neat or over ice, but it also shines in cocktails. The Metaxa Sour, Metaxa Negroni, and Metaxa Spritz are all easy ways to bring it into your regular rotation.
Here is the recipe
Metaxa Sour
Ingredients
- 50 ml METAXA 12 Stars
- 20 ml lemon juice
- 10 ml sugar syrup
- Optional 20 ml egg white
- 2 dash Angostura bitters
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients and shake well
- Pour into a double old fashioned glass
- Garnish with a clementine zest for the finish