Tsipouro

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Tsipouro (Greek: Τσίπουρο) is a distilled alcoholic beverage, more precisely a pomace brandy, from Greece and in particular Thessaly, Epirus, Macedonia and the island of Crete. Tsipouro is a strong distilled spirit containing approximately 45 per cent alcohol per volume and is produced from the must-residue of the wine-press. The name tsipouro is used throughout the country, except for Crete, where the same spirit with a stronger aroma is known as tsikoudia. In other areas of Greece, the name raki is used from which the term "rakizio" is derived, used to refer to the drink's distillation process, often the occasion for a celebration among family and friends.

According to the tradition, the first production of Tsipouro was the work of some monks. This occurred during the 14th century on Mount Athos in Macedonia, Greece. Then, this idea of using the must-residue of the winepress in order to produce a spirit, passed to viticulturists in poorer regions of the whole country, which already used the distillation process for other purposes. Thus, Tsipouro was born.

Depending on the time of year, Tsipouro is used either as refreshment or as a hot beverage, and depending on the time of day, it replaces the drinking of coffee or wine. Tsipouro and Tsikoudia, as with all alcoholic beverages in Greece, always seem to coincide with various social gatherings, as their consumption had a festive and symposium-like quality.

It is usually served in shot glasses, very cold, often with meze, walnuts, almonds, raisins, feta cheese, olives, or accompanying halva or other desserts in restaurants.

In 2006, Greece filed a request to recognise tsipouro as a PDO (Protected designation of origin) product. ^[1]

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