Kentos Mastiha Liqueur

As the authentic liqueur of the Chios Mastiha Growers’ Association, Kentos embodies the very special know-how of mastiha production. The Growers in Chios, harvest mastiha once a year during the warm summer months, by making small incisions in the mastiha tree trunks. The resin droplets, known as mastiha “tears” amongst the locals, are left to slowly seep out of the bark and to dry in the natural sunlight to form translucent golden crystals. This delicate and skilful handiwork of bark notching is likened to embroidery (‘kentos’) and is a UNESCO-recognized 2,500 year-old tradition.