Greek spirits compose a range of fine products. Bartender Panos Pallis talks about if can be established in bars offering a taste experience.
Fruits, nuts, aromatic herbs and seeds formed the basis for the production of Greek drinks and spirits (Mataroa Mediterranean and Stray Dog Gin,Veroni Dry and Veroni Rosso Vermouth, Ouzo Adolo, Agioneri, O/Purist tsipouro, Dark Cave aged tsipouro, Majuni botanical liqueur, Stichion mastic) demonstrating their superior quality and uniqueness.
Some of these spirits are reminiscent of Greek summer, while others, due to their distillation process, are widely used as a base for excellent cocktails, turning the hazy everyday life into an exciting mystagogy.
The first book with assorted drinks’ categories from the wonderfully heavily decorated Saloons of the West to the awesome cocktails that we can enjoy even nowadays in our favorite bars was published by Bartender Jeremiah P.Thomas in 1862 entitled “How to Mix Drink” .
His book acquires a range of mixing categories such as Flips, Cobbler, Crusta, Sangarees, Cups, Fixes, Pousse-Cafe, Toddy, Cocktail, Sour, Sling, Smash.
With the rise of the popularity of bars in Europe and America in the 19th century, luscious menus were created while the dominant drinks boasted more aromatic elements (Manhattans, Martinez, Rob Roy, Bronx) raising them to a timeless value.
Greek traditional spirits are part of the culture and hospitality of our country.
Images from the beautiful Aegean islands and their visitors enjoying exquisite flavors during their holidays are a source of inspiration.
Accolades
In the pan-Hellenic high standard Cocktail competition with Greek Spirits promoting Greek identity, Aegean Cocktail & Spirit Competition, which took place at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation on 22/09/21 organized by Mrs. Denny Kallivoka and Mrs. Eleni Nikoloulia, our Bar Manager was in the winning trio in the Vermouth category (Veroni Boutari).
Panos Pallis created 2 variations of the Bijou cocktail as a tribute to Greek spirits, deserving to be established in bars around the world, stating the following:
I combined the extremely botanical Mediterranean Gin Mataroa, a product of the Melissanidi distillery based in Aridea, Northern Greece.
Gin Mataroa is quite an aromatic gin because alcohol is flavored with Vapor Infusion method, i.e aromatization in the copper still.
Once recipe’s herbs are placed in the metal utensil, in a 200lt copper still made in Greece, flavor the distillate more effectively.
I chose botanical liqueurs but also products from the islands of the NorthEast Aegean. A thesaurus of flavors with a bright scent of tradition such as the Stichion Mastic liqueur from the island of Chios and the Ouzo Adolo from the island of Lesvos.
My aromatic “character” comes from Dry Vermouth Veroni emerging flavored herbs of rosemary, sage, Louisa and chamomile in contrast to Rosso, which is characterized by red fruits and spices. All herbs originate from the Vermio Mountains of Macedonia.
Vermouths had a great influence on the history of cocktails in the 19th century with the legendary 50-50 Martinis making the difference.
Inspired by the famous Marguerite, Martinez, Tuxedo, Bijou in combination with my favorite Greek flavors, the result was to create 2 Greek Bijou.
In conclusion, I could say that Greek spirits can stand equal at the menus of the whole world.
Aegean Bijou
Ingredients
- 50 ml Mataroa Gin
- 50 ml Veroni Dry Vermouth
- 15 ml Mastic Liqueur
- 1 Dash Ouzo Adolo
- Method: Stir
- Garnish: Olive
Stir in the mixing glass all our ingredients and ruffle with the strainer serving in a chilled glass.
Majuni Bijou
Ingredients
- 50 ml Mataroa Gin
- 50 ml Veroni Rosso Vermouth
- 15 ml Majuni Botanical Liqueur
- 1 Dash Bitter Bitteraneo Mediterranean tentoura
- Method: Stir
- Garnish: Cherry
Stir in the mixing glass all our ingredients and ruffle with the strainer on our icy glass.
The Greek spirits that were used are the following:
- Gin Mataroa
The third generation distiller, Dimitris Melissanidis, created Mataroa Gin using raw materials of top quality such as Greek Mastic from the Island of Chios, Chamomile from Cyprus, citrus fruits from Spain, Angelica root and lavender from France.
It is an extremely hardened product reaching 41.5% alcoholic degrees without missing the fragrant aromas of the raw material.
- Veroni
The collaboration of Stelios Boutaris Winery with the Distiller Dimitris Melissanidis resulted in the creation of the vermouth Veroni Dry and Veroni Rosso.
The herbs used emanate from the legendary Vermio Mountains.
The combination of herbs with the vintner’s wine from Naoussa, grant the first complete Greek DRY vermouth with 17% alcoholic strength and intense aromas of chamomile, rosemary, sage and strong aftertaste of Louisa and citrus.
- Stichion
Chios is the 5th largest island in Greece and the 1st with the highest quality mastic in the world.
Stichion is a liqueur whose quality raw material of the resinous secretion of mastic, is the reason to get a solid and crystalline mastic drink with 26% alcohol honoring its long history and origin with its uniqueness.
- Ouzo Adolo
Ouzo Adolo is an excellent triple distillate that is extracted for 13 hours in its handmade copper still creating the new special category of fine οuzo.
- Majuni Botanical Liqueur
Enigmatic and special, like no other Greek liqueur, bitter taste with more than 15 herbs and spices, roots and flowers from all over Greece.
About Panos Pallis
Pallis Panos is Bar Manager with a fondness in history, tasting and thematic Cocktails Menu.
The first bar where he was employed as Barback was at the Westin and Arion Hotels of the legendary Astir Vouliagmeni in 2008-2014 with Bar Manager Stefanos Vlassis and Bartender Giannis Vlachos.
In the 1st Cocktail competition he participated in was in 2009 ,where he failed miserably.
Since then until present, he counts more than 16 participations in Greece and abroad with an overall of 10 awards and many seminars.
Recently, the World Barmen Association (IBA) made him a certified trainer of the Hellenic Barmen Association (HBA).
You will find him in prestigious hotel bars in Mykonos.
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