At the Athens Bar Show, which took place 9-11 November in Greece, The Spirits Businesssat down with Axia global brand ambassador Giannis Miliotis to discuss the new product. Axia is being launched as a completely new spirit category – what has been the general response? Greek brand Axia is rolling out its extra dry mastic spirit to the UK market, a liquid made from the aromatic resin of the mastiha tree. Axia offers a novel experience, anew spirit category and invites bartenders to taste, experiment and explore thisextraordinary liquid.” The brand has been created by Adrian Clarke, a seventh-generation member of the Bacardi family, and Nikos Kalogiannis, a fifth-generation distiller of ouzo. LONDON, Nov. 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Axia is making its debut in the US, UK and Greece markets as the world's first extra-dry Mastiha spirit, distilled from the natural resin of the Mastiha tree that can only be harvested on the island of Chios, Greece.

Axia is the world's first extra dry spirit strength mastiha (pronounced MasTikaa). Produced from mastic trees that originate and grow in the southern part of the Greek Island of Chios. Cultivating mastic is an age old and sustainable practice that is both time and labor intensive. The treeis"milked" and left to dry in the wind, which forms mastic crystals that are collected, cleaned and graded by hand. Axiaproduction includes maceration, distillationand "ageing" as parts of the unique recipe, with the total processlastingover a month.The end result is a premium, unsweetened 40% ABV spirit with velvety flavour notes of bergamot, cedar, cypress, mint, grass and pepper and a fragrant, rose aroma.Axia offers a novel experience, a new spirit category and invites bartenders to taste, experiment and explore this extraordinary liquid.” Pour the Axia into a chilled wine glass, add ice cubes and top up with tonic. Garnish with a rosemary leaf, a star anise and 5 pink peppercorns On the nose, Axia brings an abundance of aromas, brightened by more delicate scents of fresh cut grass, rose water and dried orange peel. On the palate, earth pine and cedar are balanced with velvety bergamot, cypress and citrus notes. Pour the Axia into a highball. Add ice cubes and a spicy Bloody Mary mix. Garnish with celery, olives and a lemon wedge – even a shrimp if you're feeling Mediterranean

On the nose, Axia boasts aromas of fresh cut grass, rose water and dried orange peels. On the palate, notes of earth pine and cedar are presented, balanced with bergamot, cypress and citrus flavours.The spirit is crystal clear. On the nose, it’s semi-dry with green vegetative notes of cut grass and notes of mint, anise and menthol, along with some floral potpourri, especially rose petal and dried bergamot aromas. There is a bit of wet stone minerality accompanied by some spicy notes and a bit of pepper. Axia is a spirit produced from a gum extracted from the bark of the Mediterranean mastiha tree, which grows on the Greek island of Chios. I have grown up here my whole life. I cannot describe to you the feeling that I have: of being in a mastiha field with all these aromas. It’s mesmerising. The aromas of the flowers. The smell of the ground, the soil. The humidity. The botanicals are mixed with all these aromas. It’s so many aromas in one. I find when I taste and smell the spirit I have access to it. It’s a feeling that just reminds me of being there. It’s very connected to me. How do you plan to adapt the marketing of the Greek spirit for the global market? Axia is the world’s first extra dry spirit strength mastiha (pronounced MasTikaa). Produced from mastic trees that originate and grow in the southern part of the Greek Island of Chios. Cultivating mastic is an age old and sustainable practice that is both time and labor intensive. The treeis“milked” and left to dry in the wind, which forms mastic crystals that are collected, cleaned and graded by hand. Axiaproduction includes maceration, distillationand “ageing” as parts of the unique recipe, with the total processlastingover a month.The end result is a premium, unsweetened 40% ABV spirit with velvety flavour notes of bergamot, cedar, cypress, mint, grass and pepper and a fragrant, rose aroma.