Mastiha Greek Spirit Review

Greece, Liqueurs, Mastiha, Spirit Reviews

Mastiha Antica is a unique Greek spirit made from tree sap from the island of Chios.

The mastic tree, Pistacia lentiscus, grows throughout the Mediterranean but on the Greek island of Chios something unique happens to it. Only here, in the south of the island, do people score the bark of the trees and harvest the resulting resin that seeps out. The resin, called mastic, or colloquially ‘tears of Chios’, hardens and is used in numerous ways. It’s turned into chewing gum, into medicine, used in shampoos, used to heal cuts, as an insect repellant, and for many other purposes.

Greek Spirit

Mastic is also distilled and turned into a spirit, mastiha, a spirit that is as versatile as the resin itself. It’s enjoyed as an aperitif, has long been praised as a digestif, and can be used in cocktails. Anything you can make with vodka, you can make with mastiha.

The Verino Distillery

It isn’t a common spirit that you’ll find everywhere in Greece, like ouzo or Metaxa, but several distilleries do make it including the Verino Distillery in Argos on the Peloponnese. They bring the mastic over from Chios and distill it in their copper lambique stills, bottling it at 30% ABV. Although they call it a liqueur, it’s a spirit you can drink any time, on its own, on the rocks, or before as well as after a meal. As Verino also make Apostalagma Ouzo, which is the best ouzo I’ve ever tasted, as well as the excellent Tsipouro Ipsicaminos, I was looking forward to their Mastiha Antica.

Tasting Mastiha Antica

I’d been advised by a Grecophile friend who’d already tried it that it was best served straight from the freezer. As with vodkas, this gives the spirit a lusher and richer feel in the mouth, and allows you to enjoy the spirit in different ways as it slowly warms up.

The mastic tree has an aroma that is said to be a mix of pine and cedar – and that’s why it’s used as an insect repellant as many bugs don’t like the smell of cedar wood. On the nose the mastiha also has a hint of pine, along with mint, the kind of freshness you get from cucumber, a dash of liquorice, and a bit of aniseed, like ouzo.

Tasting the mastiha, it’s a unique and delicious flavor that’s very hard to describe. I detected mint again, a touch of chewing gum, a dash of something spicey, and a taste that makes you think of walking in pine forests. Even when it warmed up a little, it retained that lush mouthfeel, and had a velvety-smooth finish.

I tried it with tonic water, upping my usual proportions to compensate for the lower ABV. Perfect, and very different. I’m going to have some fun when friends come round and I’ll bet they can’t identify the spirit in the tonic… and hope they haven’t read this review!