Cover photo from Skinos Mastiha Official Website
Our Sixth Featured Libation of the World comes from the island of Chios, Greece.
What would you say if you had to describe Greeks in just a few words? We would say they are some of the most hospitable people we have come across in all our travels. Tourism is a major industry in Greece, but that doesn’t always translate to feeling appreciated and welcomed as a guest. One of the most striking traits in Greece is that in most restaurants, especially local places, you will be provided at least one and, maybe, several times, a free food or drink for every meal. That was our experience not only on the mainland but also on Mykonos, Santorini, and Crete.
It expresses their appreciation for your patronage, a gift of sorts to say thank you. In our most recent travels in 2021, we were often greeted with a complimentary appetizer. We would then be given a complimentary small carafe of liquor and dessert at the end of the meal as they left the check. These offers of kind hospitality were always welcome and lovely. In all our travels so far, it is unique to Greece.
Our Introduction to Mastiha
During Joelle’s first trip to Greece with her sister, the liquor given complimentary at the end of the meal was almost exclusively Mastiha. (Our 2021 trip was a mix of Mastiha and Vinsanto.) We never missed out on trying something new, so we went for it, not even knowing for sure what we were trying. It was quite a shock the first time. Imagine drinking tree bark when you were least expecting it. Technically, that is what you are drinking. To our surprise, we quickly came to enjoy it and were disappointed when it wasn’t provided at the meal’s end.
Mastiha is created with resin from the Mastiha tree that grows on the island of Chios, Greece. The unique climate on the island’s southern end is the only place in the world where an aromatic resin of this quality is cultivated. There is quite a story to this unique herbal liquor with its magical qualities. As you look closely, you will see Mastiha products everywhere in Greece. From candies, elixirs, cough drops, digestive aids, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, gum, sunscreen, skincare, coffee, cereal bars, a culinary herb…..you get it. The Greeks love their Mastiha; in any form, they can get it.
What is Mastiha?
Mastiha starts as a semi-transparent sap that solidifies in yellowish teardrop blobs. It’s native to the southern side of the island of Chios in Greece. There have been attempts to graft such trees in Italy, Turkey, and northern Chios with no success. This is due to the combination of the volcanic soil of southern Chios, an exceedingly dry microclimate, and perfected eugenics over generations, where only the best-yielding trees were propagated.
Sold whole or ground, mastiha is used as a flavoring in cooking and as a fragrant, refreshing additive to cosmetics and personal hygiene products. It is also found in paint and varnishes; mastic is added to such products for its oily properties and color.
You may have already had some without realizing it. It is extensively used in Eastern Mediterranean and Arab cuisine in desserts, pastries, pudding, candy, fruit preserves, and to flavor beverages like tea or coffee. Mastiha can be used as a spice in both sweet and spicy dishes. It is popular in meat dishes with lamb, fish, poultry, and goat. It can even be a natural chewing gum (mastic gum). When ground and mixed with sugar or salt, mastiha is excellent for flavoring savory or sugary preparations.
What does it taste like?
Musky and aromatic, mastiha has a distinct and refreshing earthy flavor of wood, fresh trees, and pine. It sounds strange, but trust us, it is terrific. Drinking the Mastiha spirits is precisely how you feel refreshed.
History
For almost 3.000 years, the power of mastiha has been around. It has spread throughout the world through emperors and adventurers. Mastiha has traveled to Genoa, Istanbul, Athens, and worldwide as a culinary delicacy known for its excellent digestive attributes.
The English word “masticate” comes from the Latin adaptation of the Greek word “to chew,” which is mastichein. Back in the day, before toothpaste, the wealthy would chew mastiha to fight plaque and freshen their breath.
Chios Island
The Island of Chios is the fifth largest of the Greek islands in the northern Aegean Sea and is known for the unique and rare phenomenon of Mastiha cultivation. The local economy has prospered for centuries by cultivating lentisc trees that produce the aromatic “mastiha” resin. Mastiha is a resin retrieved from the mastic evergreen, a shrub of the species Pistacia lentiscus. Native to the Greek island of Chios, mastiha has a teardrop shape when solidified, earning the name “drops or tears of Chios.”
Chios is known for its Mastiha, medieval villages, beautiful beaches, and fertile soil. It is a prosperous island known for its wealth due to its strong economy tied to mastiha. It is about a 35-minute flight from Athens International Airport.
To learn more about Chios Greece, check out Chios Island’s Official Tourism site
What is the Mastiha tree?
Mastiha trees are known as the “Crying Tree.” They are predominantly only cultivated in one place in the world: the small island of Chios. The unique microclimate is the only one that can produce the aromatic resin needed to make Mastiha spirits. Harvesting takes place only once per year, during June and July. The process consists of several “prickings,” and it takes several weeks to extract mastiha teardrops. The tree is “crying out” the Mastiha resins that take 10 to 20 days to get solid and collected.
Attaining the resin
About 24 villages in southern Chios Island are known as the mastiha villages. During the winter months, the tree is pruned to keep its round shape so the resin can be collected most efficiently. Spring brings back-breaking work to harvest the resin.
The farmworkers prepare “the table” by weeding a round area below the mastic tree and sweeping it. They then spread limestone to create a flat surface where the resin will fall and congeal but not dissolve. They then make shallow incisions starting from the bottom and going to the top; the bottom produces thicker droplets, and the top finer ones. About three to four weeks after the incisions are made, they collect the drops from “the table” and pick those remaining on the trunk. If it rains even once, the mastiha resin will be lost.
They gather their resin crop in the fall and clean it by sifting, washing, and removing impurities.
The Mastiha Process
Once the resin is harvested, Mastiha is carefully transferred in wooden coffins covered with boat textiles to a cool warehouse. The village residents pick out only the highest quality resins and clean them by hand. It is a thoughtful and tedious process.
The distillation process begins when Mastiha is mixed with fine alcohol (quality matters) and put in bronze tanks called alembic, which are then heated by fire. This process results in a delicate extract with a unique aroma.
The next step is the blending, which occurs when fine-quality sugar, alcohol, and mineral water are added to complement the mixture and create a distinctive and balanced clear white Mastiha spirit. The spirits are bottled ideally in high-quality glass bottles and corked with a natural cork.
UNESCO and Protecting the Mastic Trees
Though mastic trees grow all over the Mediterranean, only the variety in the unique microclimate of Chios’s southern area produces the special aromatic sap from which the liqueur is made. The EU protected mastiha with a Designation of Origin (PDO), and UNESCO recognizes its traditional harvest as a living heritage of humanity. The EU has also recognized mastiha as a traditional herbal medicine for digestive problems.
In August of 2012, disastrous wildfires spread across the island of Chios, scorching over 31,000 acres of land. As a result, more than half of the island’s mastic orchards were destroyed. Because it has a protected designation of origin from the EU, the fire not only impacted Chios farmers, who lost almost 60 percent of their crops, but it also seriously impacted the global supply of the mastiha.
Fun Fact
The trade of mastiha took a big hit after 1900 when Thomas Adams mass-produced chewing gum in the United States under the name Chiclets from the resin of the Mexican sapodilla tree and marketed it worldwide.
Cooking with Mastiha
Mastiha is a spice that must be mixed with salt or sugar to temper its strength because it is potent and can overwhelm the dish’s flavor. If you wish to use mastiha, grind the frozen drops in a mortar and pestle. Measure what you have, and following a 1:10 ratio, mix it with salt or sugar. As with all-powerful spices, mastiha is usually added in small amounts. A little goes a long way.
How to enjoy Mastiha
In Greece, it is most often served cold and straight-up as a digestive at the end of a meal. This is how we first experienced it, and we prefer it that way to this day.
It also can be used in many different types of cocktails. Check out our wide range of cocktail recipes below.
Where to purchase Mastiha
Masthia spirits have gained much greater popularity in recent years. This is believed to be due to the trend of creating new and unique cocktails. Mastiha is seen more and more in bartending competitions worldwide.
As a result, Mastiha can be easily found in most US liquor stores. However, it is fun to bring back from Greece as it is comparatively inexpensive. We always grab some in the duty-free shops before we board the plane in Greece. A sweet grocery store on the main level at the Athens airport has a great selection of Masthiha liquor and other products. Our favorite place to pick some gifts and snacks for the trip home or a bottle or two to launch our visit.
Places in the US to find Mastiha is Total Wine, or if you don’t want to go out and live in a large city, you can get some delivered often within an hour or two by Drizly.com (Drizly is an affiliate link, and we may earn a small commission if you order from them). Even Amazon.com has Mastiha Spirits for sale, as well as gum and spice.
Our favorite brand of Mastiha spirits is Skinos. It will also be the easiest to find in the US.
If you are interested in purchasing other mastiha products, especially medicinal ones, check out the Mastiha shop. All the products they carry are fascinating.
May we suggest a few recipes for cocktails?
© 2024 Wanderers Compass All Rights Reserved
Planning a trip to Greece? Check out our Greece Travel Guide
Greece Photo Gallery
Check out our most recent blog posts
Hilton Buenos Aires: Discover Luxury, Elegance, and Vibrant Puerto Madero
The Hilton Buenos Aires, located in the vibrant Puerto Madero district, offers luxurious accommodations,…
July 26, 2024Travel Transformed My Life: A Journey of Growth and Discovery
Ryan’s journey demonstrates how travel profoundly changed his life, from a challenging childhood to…
July 25, 2024Discover the Magic of Ghent, Belgium: A Timeless Beauty
Ghent, Belgium, is a cultural treasure in the Flemish region, boasting medieval architecture, a…
July 25, 2024Unlocking Worldwide Connectivity: How GigSky eSIM Makes Traveling Easy for Everyone
In an increasingly connected world, reliable mobile data while traveling is essential. After experiencing…
July 23, 2024Why Daytrip Personalized Car Service is the Smart Choice for Travelers
Daytrip car service offers convenient, personalized city-to-city transfers with local drivers, modern vehicles, and…
July 23, 2024The Issue with Resort Fees: A Call for Transparency and Fair Pricing
Travel enriches lives by immersing us in new cultures and creating lasting memories. However,…
July 21, 2024Are These 5 Top Destinations On Your List?
“I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake.…
July 21, 2024Unveiling the Secrets of Malta: History, Beauty, and Resilience
There is no rose without thorns maltese proverb Mighty Malta Malta is a tiny island…
July 9, 2024Top 25 Tips for Traveling Abroad: Your Ultimate Guide
Increase your odds of smooth travels and reduce stress by using our top 25…
June 21, 2024Want to learn about Wanderers Compass?
Our Top Recommended Travel Products and Services
Travel Insurance
Squaremouth.com
Our favorite travel insurance site!
We could not be stronger advocates of being well-insured—not just for the little stuff but for the big things like medical emergencies. We never leave home without it. Our go-to place is Squaremouth.com. It does a fantastic job with its user-friendly interface and uses top-rated and reputable insurance carriers. They also mediate on your behalf if you have problems.
To empower you as a consumer, we suggest you read our blog post on the importance of travel insurance and how to get the best coverage from top-rated companies for an affordable price.
MedjetAssist
Medical transport back home from anywhere in the world
They are the premier global air medical transport. One caveat to travel insurance is that medical evacuation usually gets you to the closest facility to care for you. Medjet gets you back to the U.S. to the hospital of your choice once you are stable enough to fly. A Medjet membership is only for medical transport. Medjet Horizon offers expanded coverage. They have individual trip policies starting at $99 and annual policies for around $300. Most of their policies limit the age to 74.
To learn more about how Medical Evacuation membership with Medjet Assist works, check out our blog post for a more detailed review.
Accommodations and Airfare
Expedia and VRBO
Hotels, home rentals, BNBs, flights, and other transportation & tours
Expedia is a US-based company whose mission is to power global travel for everyone and everywhere. Wanderers Compass focuses on independent travel, and using sites like Expedia makes that possible. Every aspect of travel you need, from airfare, accommodations, rental car, and cruises to activities to do at your destination, can be booked on Expedia.
Booking.com
Hotels, Home rentals, BNBs, Flights, and other Transportation & Tours
Booking.com connects millions of travelers to memorable experiences, various transportation options, and incredible places to stay – from homes to hotels and much more. It is one of the world’s largest travel marketplaces for established brands and entrepreneurs of all sizes. It is our preferred booking site.
Transportation
Daytrip
Personalized city-to-city private car transfer service
Daytrip is an affordable private car service for city-to-city transfers around the world. We love their service, and it costs much less than renting a car. You can enjoy comfortable, stress-free travel with the added bonus of scenic sightseeing stops along your journey. For example, we used them between Budapest and Vienna, making some fantastic stops along the way. Their professional drivers and customizable routes ensure a smooth ride while allowing you to explore hidden gems and local attractions.
To learn more about how Daytrip, check out our blog post for a more detailed review.
Travel Experiences
Viator
The leading marketplace for travel experiences
Viator believes that making memories is what travel is all about. And with 300,000+ experiences to explore—everything from simple tours to extreme adventures (and all the niche, interesting stuff in between)—making memories that will last a lifetime has never been easier. We use them often during our travels and love their liberal cancellation policy.
Communication products for seamless connectivity overseas
GigSky International eSIM Data Plans
Local Prices. No Roaming. Fastest Networks.
GigSky eSIM keeps travelers seamlessly connected worldwide without the hassle of swapping physical SIM cards or facing unexpected roaming charges. With affordable data plans and instant activation, you can enjoy reliable internet access in over 190 countries, making travel more convenient than ever. They have a great offer, a 100 MB data plan for free, and no credit card is required. They are that confident you will love their product!
Enjoy 10% off all GigSky Plans (except cruise and inflight) with our discount code WCOMPASS10
To learn more about how GigSky, check out our blog post for a more detailed review.
Shopping
Wanderers Compass Amazon Storefront
An excellent source for all travel essentials and guides
Amazon is one of the most comprehensive online shopping sources in the world. Teams worldwide provide lower prices, better selection, and rapid delivery on behalf of customers. They offer a vast inventory, and their 1.7 million small and medium businesses worldwide selling on Amazon.com offer extensive options to customers.
This article contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you!
No Comments