And now for something completely different.
We’re rightly accused of occasionally lacking breadth here at Hoarder’s Corner (since we tend to get a little caught up in brown liquor). As a corrective, we humbly submit for our reader’s consideration today’s hoarding alert: Ouzo by Metaxa.
Ouzo isn’t a spirit you hear a lot about these days, since it isn’t used in many of the recently revived classic cocktails. But, perhaps it ought to be, since Ouzo by Metaxa, a recent arrival at the LCBO, is a fairly refined and clear drink that deserves a place at the table after a nice Mediterranean meal. What’s more, a few drops might well add a little kick to a soup or to a pre-dinner cocktail, the way we use Pernod in a Corpse Reviver #2. This new Ouzo (made with the traditional mastic gum that gives many Greek beverages an added hit of sugar and spice) is reminiscent of any of the first-rate anise-y drinks struggling to make their way into a North American market.
Pernod, absinthe, and ouzo are always a tough sell here, where we seem to have a mild anise-phobia/aversion, possibly as a result of some overly sweet drinks that people might have had a few too many of—in shot form—back in the day. In truth, if you have a bad memory associated with anise flavour and a killer hangover, there’s a good chance it was sambuca anyway, some brands of which are more than a little sweet.
This isn’t one of them and, so, if you’re ready to get back on that old anise horse, this is a great place to start. And at $18.95, it’s not exactly a huge risk for the liquor hoarder, either.
Ouzo by Metaxa. $18.95; LCBO 281451
