Polykala Distillery: 128 years of history & liqueur tasting.

At Polykala Distillery, you get a quick look at one of Athens’ long-running family businesses, then taste liqueurs made with ingredients tied to Greece. The visit covers 128 years of distilling and includes mastiha from Chios, hazelnut, and sour cherry flavors.

I like the personal welcome from guides Nina or Rena, and I like that the ticket includes a 100ml bottle of your choice. The showroom also gives you a chance to buy attractive bottles for home. The main drawback is that the visit is short, and two recent bookings were affected by a late or missed opening, so I would confirm the appointment before setting out.

Key Points to Know Before You Go

• Taste three distinct Greek liqueurs: Mastiha, hazelnut, and cherry create a useful introduction to the distillery’s range.
• Take home a 100ml bottle: Your complimentary bottle adds real value to the modest ticket price.
• Expect a personal family story: Nina and Rena explain how the business and its methods have continued through generations.
• Small groups matter here: With a maximum of 10 people, you have a better chance to ask questions and receive direct attention.
• Plan for a short visit: The full experience takes about 30 to 40 minutes, making it easy to fit into an Athens sightseeing day.
• Check opening arrangements: Two poor experiences involved the showroom not opening on time or not opening at all.

A Short Taste of Greek Distilling in Central Athens

This is not a long factory tour with rows of machinery and hours of technical explanation. It is a compact introduction to Polykala’s family distilling business, held at the company’s showroom on Kleisthenous 7.

I see the experience as a good choice if you enjoy food and drink with a family story attached. You learn how the liqueurs are made, hear about the business across several generations, and taste a few finished products in a relaxed setting.

The visit is especially useful early in your Athens stay. It gives you a small, pleasant break from ancient monuments and busy streets, while also introducing flavors you may want to recognize later in Greece. The tasting is not only about alcohol. It shows how local ingredients and traditional flavor combinations are used in a modern retail product.

The short format keeps the price appealing. At $16.87 per person, you receive the explanation, the tasting, and a 100ml bottle to take home. That bottle alone makes the cost easier to justify, especially if you already enjoy liqueurs or want a compact food souvenir.

Meeting Nina or Rena at Kleisthenous 7

The experience begins at Kleisthenous 7, in Athens, where Nina or Rena waits to welcome you. The first part takes about 10 minutes and is free as a separate portion of the visit.

That opening matters because the mood here is personal rather than formal. The family connection is part of the appeal, and the guides explain the distillery’s background before moving into the products. One guide, Nina, has been praised for her warm manner and for making the family pride behind the business easy to understand. Anna has also been praised for giving an informative explanation and speaking with clear enthusiasm about the way the products are made.

You should expect conversation, not a scripted museum lecture. With no more than 10 people in the group, I would use this time to ask about the family’s methods, the ingredients, and the flavors you are about to taste.

The meeting point is near public transportation, which helps if you are fitting the visit between central Athens stops. The tour ends at the same place, so you do not need to arrange a separate ride from the tasting.

Inside a 128-Year Family Distillery

The main portion lasts about 30 minutes and covers the distillery, the production of the liqueurs, and the tasting. The experience presents Polykala as a family operation with 128 years of history, with methods carried through generations.

That long timeline is useful context, but you should not expect an extensive industrial tour. The supplied details focus on explanation and tasting rather than a large production-floor walk. For me, this makes the visit best suited to someone who wants an accessible introduction rather than a specialist course in distillation.

The most appealing part is the link between the story and the bottles in front of you. You hear how the liqueurs are made, then taste the results. It gives you a clearer reason for each flavor and makes the tasting feel less like a simple retail sample.

The family continuity also gives the visit a human touch. One guide explained that the business has kept its approach across generations, using quality ingredients and care in production. You may find that this personal element is more memorable than the technical details.

The Tasting: Mastiha, Hazelnut, and Cherry

The tasting is arranged almost like a small meal, with a starter, main, and dessert. The sequence moves from the distinctive resinous flavor of mastiha to the warmer hazelnut liqueur and finishes with sour cherry.

Mastiha as the Starter

Mastiha liqueur is made with mastic from the island of Chios. It has a clear appearance, a noticeable aroma, and the strong character of mastic.

If you have never tried mastiha, this is the most unusual pour of the three. Its flavor comes from a resin produced on Chios, so it offers a direct link to a Greek ingredient rather than a generic fruit or nut profile. I would take a small sip first and let the flavor develop instead of treating it like a standard sweet liqueur.

This is a useful first taste because it sets up the range of the distillery. You begin with a flavor that is quite distinctive, then move toward more familiar hazelnut and cherry notes.

Hazelnut with Spice and Oak Notes

The hazelnut liqueur combines warm hazelnut extracts with spice and oak aromas. It is the fuller, rounder option in the tasting sequence.

This may be the easiest bottle to imagine using at home. The flavor profile is familiar enough for many drinkers, but the spice and oak notes give it more character than a simple sweet nut drink. If you prefer warmer, richer flavors, this is likely the sample to watch.

The guide can help you compare it with the mastiha and cherry pours. Since the group is small, you have a good chance to ask which products are most popular or which bottle best suits your taste.

Sour Cherry for Dessert

The cherry liqueur uses sour cherries with spice aromas. It finishes the tasting with a fruit-based flavor that is brighter and sweeter than the first two samples.

I like the order of the tasting because it works from unusual to familiar, then ends with a dessert-style note. The sour cherry character keeps the final sample from tasting flat or overly simple.

You do not need to be an experienced spirits drinker to follow the tasting. The three styles are different enough to make the comparison clear. If you are choosing your complimentary bottle, I would base the decision on the sample you would actually enjoy slowly at home, not simply on the most unusual flavor.

What the Complimentary Bottle Adds

The included 100ml bottle is one of the strongest reasons to consider this experience. You can choose a bottle from the tasting range, giving you a small keepsake without needing to buy a full-size product.

The size is practical for a suitcase and also makes sense if you are not sure how much liqueur you want. It turns the visit into more than a quick sample. You leave with something that lets you revisit the flavor after your Athens trip.

The showroom also has plenty of elegant bottles available for purchase. That gives you an easy chance to buy a larger bottle or select a presentation piece for someone at home. I would wait until after tasting before buying. The three samples make it easier to choose based on taste rather than packaging alone.

Prices for additional bottles are not provided, so I would not assume that every product is a bargain. The included bottle is the part of the value that is clear from the start. Any extra purchase should be treated as optional.

Is $16.87 Good Value?

At $16.87, the price is reasonable for a short tasting that includes a take-home bottle. You are paying for roughly half an hour of guided explanation, three named samples, access to the family story, and a 100ml bottle of your choice.

The visit is not long enough to fill a full afternoon, and that is important when judging the price. You are not buying a major attraction or an extensive workshop. You are buying a compact food-and-drink stop that can fit neatly around other plans.

I think the value improves if you already plan to purchase a Greek liqueur. The tasting helps you decide what you like, while the included bottle gives you a small souvenir without extra cost. If you only want a quick free sample, the ticket may feel less compelling.

The high overall rating and 92 percent recommendation indicate that the basic format works well for most people. Still, the two opening problems should not be ignored. The provider apologized in both cases, offered a refund in one case, and in another offered a later visit or refund. Those responses are helpful, but a missed appointment can still disrupt a tightly planned morning.

Timing, Group Size, and Access

The experience lasts about 30 to 40 minutes, with roughly 10 minutes for the welcome and family background, followed by about 30 minutes for the distillery explanation and tasting.

A maximum of 10 people keeps the visit small. This is important because a tasting works better when you can hear the guide and ask questions without competing with a large crowd. It also suits people who prefer a calm, direct presentation over a big group activity.

The experience is wheelchair and stroller accessible. Most people can participate, but alcohol is involved, so it is not recommended for anyone with heart problems or another serious medical condition who should avoid drinking.

You receive confirmation when booking, and a mobile ticket is accepted. The activity is offered in English. Since the visit begins and ends at Kleisthenous 7, you can keep your day simple and continue from the same neighborhood after the tasting.

The Main Drawback: Opening Reliability

The biggest practical concern is not the tasting itself. It is making sure the showroom is open when your booking begins.

One person arrived before a 9:30 visit, waited until 10:00, and left when the distillery still had not opened. Another arrived after walking to the address and found the showroom closed. In the first case, the provider explained that a flat tire caused the delay while the usual guide was dealing with health problems. In the other, the closure was linked to an extra Greek bank holiday that had not been reflected in the booking system.

These explanations do not remove the inconvenience. If you have a ferry, museum reservation, or airport transfer later that day, I would not place this appointment in a narrow gap. Confirm the opening time close to your visit, and allow some flexibility if possible.

The provider does offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start time. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before the visit are not refunded, and late changes are not accepted. If poor weather or a failure to reach the minimum group size causes cancellation, you are offered another date or a full refund.

Who Will Enjoy Polykala Distillery?

I would recommend this visit to you if you like local food products, family businesses, and short tastings that do not take over your day. It works well for couples, small groups of friends, and anyone who wants a Greek souvenir with a story behind it.

It is also a good fit if you are curious about mastiha. The Chios ingredient gives the tasting a clear Greek identity, while the hazelnut and cherry options provide more familiar alternatives.

You may want to skip it if you are looking for a long technical distillery tour, a large production site, or a full meal. The visit is compact and focused. It gives you an explanation and a tasting, not a broad food tour.

I would also think twice if you do not drink alcohol or if you have a medical reason to avoid it. The experience centers on tasting, even though you can still appreciate the family story and showroom.

Should You Book This Athens Liqueur Tasting?

Book Polykala if you want a short, personal Athens experience with three distinct Greek liqueurs and a useful souvenir included. At $16.87, it offers fair value, especially when you choose a 100ml bottle to take home and may discover a full-size product you want to buy.

Go in with realistic expectations. You will spend less than an hour at a showroom, not half a day touring a major distillery. Confirm the opening before you leave, and avoid scheduling it just before an important connection.

For a flexible Athens day, I would make the booking. Nina, Rena, and the family story give the tasting a human side, while the mastiha, hazelnut, and cherry sequence gives you a clear sense of Polykala’s range.

FAQ

Where does the Polykala Distillery experience begin?

It begins at Kleisthenous 7, Athina 105 52, Greece.

Where does the experience end?

The activity ends back at the meeting point on Kleisthenous 7.

How long does the visit take?

The experience takes approximately 30 to 40 minutes.

What does the tasting include?

The tasting includes mastiha liqueur, hazelnut liqueur, and cherry liqueur.

Is a bottle included in the price?

Yes. You receive a complimentary 100ml bottle of your choice.

Who leads the experience?

Nina or Rena welcomes you and explains the distillery and its liqueurs.

How large is the group?

The experience has a maximum of 10 people.

Is the distillery wheelchair and stroller accessible?

Yes. The experience is wheelchair and stroller accessible.

Is the experience offered in English?

Yes. The activity is offered in English.

Can I cancel for a refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the experience are not accepted for a refund.