What is Skinos Mastiha Spirit?
Skinos Mastiha Spirit is a spirit made in Greece. This spirit comes from a tree sap named mastiha. Mastiha is a sap from trees on the Greek island of Chios. The spirit is very strong similar to vodkas or whiskies with about 30 percent alcohol by volume. The flavor is sort of delicately sweet and flowery. The spirit has an evergreen scent with aromas of buttery pine and juniper berry on the palate. Others recommend to serve it over ice with a slice of lemon as an aperitif or in a martini.
As you can see in the picture below this spirit is clear and comes in this frosted clear and white design. The spirit should be kept in your freezer and served ice-cold. Since it has such a high alcohol content it will not actually freeze in the freezer. The spirit can be savored or drunk as shots. The word Skinos is the ancient name for mastiha.
As of August 2009 you cannot actually buy the spirit in the United States. Skinos Mastiha Spirit can be purchased in Greece in the dedicated Mastiha Shop outlets. I understand though that they are working to import it to the United States as well in the next few months. The spirit is available at the Liquor Control Board of Ontario website and at several Liquor Control Board of Ontario outlets in Canada. Here is the link to purchase there – http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo-ear/lcbo/product/details.do?language=EN&itemNumber=91033 – It currently sells for $ 37.65 Canadian dollars.
