Kosteas Mastiha

Appearance: Clear. Aroma: Strong notes of pine resin and wood, along with the typical fragrant mastic gum scent. It evokes burning frankincense in a pine sawmill. Flavor and Texture: Exceptionally sweet! Initially like a mouthful of powdered sugar. The sweetness then fades, revealing the expected aromatic mastic flavor. The finish has mild pine and peppermint with herbal undertones. Mastiha continues to impress me with its diverse profiles, which is remarkable considering it stems from a single core ingredient. It's comparable to gins that only contain juniper. This expression has a lower alcohol content than others I've tasted and is considerably sweeter. Mastiha liqueurs are consistently good, and I haven't encountered a bad one, but I also haven't rated any higher than 4/5. The distillery, established in 1962 in Kalamata, is relatively new. They produce various wines, spirits, and liqueurs and are known for being an innovative producer. This mastiha was released in 2017 to widespread praise. Notably, their packaging resembles a certain Scottish distillery's style, with colorful frosted glass bottles and unconventional labels. "Good": 83/100 (3.25 stars)