Kosteas Mastiha

Appearance: Clear. Aroma: Intense pine-resin and woody notes, plus the usual fragrant mastic gum aroma. It’s like frankincense burning in a pine-log sawmill. Flavour and Texture: Exceptionally sweet! Initially like a mouthful of icing sugar. After a moment the sweetness subsides and the expected aromatic gum flavour of mastic comes through. The aftertaste is mild pine and peppermint with herbal notes. Mastiha continues to surprise me with the variety of profiles that are available, which is remarkable given that it is all down to how one core ingredient is handled. It's like if all gins contained juniper and nothing else. This one is lower in abv than any other I’ve tried and also considerably sweeter. Mastiha is a consistent liqueur and I’ve not yet tasted a bad one, but on the other hand neither have I tasted one that rates more than 4/5. The Kotseas distillery in Kalamata is relatively young, having been established in 1962. They produce a range of wines, spirits and liqueurs and have gained attention as an innovative producer. This mastiha was introduced in 2017 to wide acclaim. Interestingly, their packaging is somewhat reminiscent of Bruichladdich, with colourful frosted glass bottles and non-traditional labeling etc. “Good” : 83/100 (3.25 stars)