Mastiha is a resinous aromatic sap extracted from Lentisk (Pistacia Lentiscus) through expert cuts on the trunk that induce tearing. The whole manufacturing process has been carried out exclusively by hand for centuries and is divided into numerous steps that require the work of many people. This evergreen shrub, despite being present in many Mediterranean countries, produces resin ONLY AND EXCLUSIVELY ON THE GREEK ISLAND OF CHIOS, in the blue of the Aegean sea, and is cultivated in 21 villages in the south of the island. Mastiha has been known since ancient times for its beneficial and therapeutic properties: it can act beneficially against digestive system disorders, it can contribute to oral hygiene, it can have an important antibacterial and anti-inflammatory action and it is a natural antioxidant, moreover aids in wound healing and skin reconstruction. Each plant produces on average about 200 grams of resin per year and this precious and rare sap which in 1997 acquired the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO).
In 1900, Yannis Stoupakis obtained his first official permit from the Ottoman Empire which allowed him to run his distillery in Dafnonas. Today, those same copper stills have been so carefully preserved that they still stand at the company's state-of-the-art facilities. Expertise, experience and tradition come together to create a powerful texture that is the driving force behind the production facilities of the Stoupakis Distillery.
