Episode 164 - KLEOS Mastiha with Effie Panagopoulos

Some of the topics we discuss in this lively conversation with bartender-turned-entrepreneur Effie Panagopoulos include: How Effie's career took her from being an east coast bartender to a west-coast spirits rep for some of the biggest brands in the world and what she learned by watching the cocktail renaissance unfold in San Francisco. The way a chance bar visit in Greece transported her back to the flavors of her childhood, reigniting her passion for Mastiha and inspiring her to launch her own brand. Some of the ins and outs of designing a formula, including debates about distillate bases, cleaning sticky stills, and navigating the Greek distilling industry. Why Mastiha has its own protected geographic designation – which takes us into some interesting geographical and geological rabbit holes pertaining to the isle of Chios, where Mastic resin is harvested. How the unique properties of this flavoring agent can also pull double duty in the health and wellness realm. Why KLEOS has come to be called "bartender's olive oil" And much, much more