Europeans love it. Asians can’t get enough of it. And savvy bartenders wouldn’t be caught tending bar without a bottle of it on hand.

Metaxa is one of the oldest spirit brands in Greece, dating back to 1888, but for some reason, most Americans have yet to make this smooth spirit’s acquaintance. The deep amber liquid is mouthwatering and mellow. Its flavorful complexity comes from the delicate blend of aged wine distillates and lush muscat wines, along with a secret bouquet of May roses and Mediterranean botanicals, making it a more palatable option than its anise-heavy Greek cousin, ouzo, for drinking straight or mixing it into a cocktail. It claims to be the “smoothest amber spirit under the sun,” but it’s definitely becoming one of the hottest new spirits in America.

Try Metaxa as:

1. “Metaxa Senses”
by Aris Chatziantoniou from MoMix Bar in Athens, Greece
“For making extraordinary drinks, you need extraordinary spirits,” says Chatziantoniou, founder of MoMix bar. “Metaxa, with its unique complexity, smoothness and aromas, can give endless possibilities for creating not just cocktails but paths to your senses.”

  • 2 ounces METAXA 5 STARS
  • 0.6 ounce grapefruit
  • 0.15 ounce Cointreau
  • 1 tablespoon chestnut marmalade
  • 2 seeds fresh cardamom
  • 1 dash smoked salt solution

(1 part smoked salt, 5 parts water) Muddle the cardamom seeds in a tin, then add ice and the remaining ingredients. Shake hard. Double-strain in a chilled martini glass.

2. “A Greek Word”
by Mike Cecelski at Vino Vino in Austin, Texas
“It’s a truly unique spirit, but still has distinctly familiar aromas and flavors,” says Cecelski, bartender at Vino Vino. “It’s one of those ingredients I’ll throw in as a base spirit just to see what happens. Over the past year, it’s been on every one of my cocktail lists.”

  • 1 ounce METAXA 5 STARS
  • 1 ounce yellow chartreuse
  • 0.75 ounce grapefruit
  • 0.25 ounce lime
  • 0.25 ounce maraschino

Shake, strain and serve up. Garnish with a grapefruit swath.

3. “HG Seasonal Cobbler”
by Emily Perkins at HG SPLY Co. in Dallas
“The first time I tried Metaxa 5 Stars, I didn’t get it,” says Perkins, bartender at HG SPLY Co. “Is it wine? It was so dry and tannic but unapologetically floral. The first thing I thought of was a traditional sherry cobbler, so I incorporated it into a summer recipe.”

  • 0.5 ounce METAXA 5 STARS
  • 2 ounces dry sack sherry
  • 0.5 ounce lemon juice
  • 0.25 ounce simple syrup
  • 2 orange slices
  • Seasonal berries

Muddle oranges and berries. Shake all ingredients and pour over cracked ice in a julep cup. Garnish with berries and mint sprig.