Despite a dampening of sales growth in global alcohol beverage, KLEOS Mastiha Spirit continues to disrupt the US market and post consistent growth (U.S. up 20% in 2024) under the leadership of its dynamic founder
February 27, 2025 (Boston, MA) — As the first Greek woman in history to found a liquor brand, Effie Panagopoulos celebrates her seventh anniversary of launching KLEOS Mastiha Spirit, the world’s first super premium mastiha, which is now featured in high-end cocktail bars, luxury hotels, cruise lines, and Michelin-starred restaurants across the U.S. and beyond. In an extremely challenging time for both woman-owned brands and the alcohol beverage industry, KLEOS is an underdog brand that continues to gain wider recognition towing the line between modern mixology and healthy lifestyle and aligned with current trends for women and younger consumers.
Photo Credit: Rebecca Quinonez/Q Consulting
“Health and wellness has permeated the spirits business, with no/low-ABV spirits booming. Clocking in at only 110cals, 4g in 2 full ounces, add mastiha’s residual health benefits for the gut, and you have a better-for-you white spirit alternative that tastes absolutely delicious by itself, and is magic in cocktails,” says Panagopoulos.
Product & Healing Properties
KLEOS is a better-for-you, low cal, low sugar, low-ABV botanical spirit made from an ancient Greek superfood called mastiha, a protected designation of origin (PDO) ingredient derived from a resin of the Skinos tree, which only grows in 24 villages in the southern part of the Greek island of Chios.
Mastiha kills h. pylori, the bacteria that causes peptic ulcers, gastric cancer, and acid reflux. Healing properties for the stomach and digestive system are retained in liquor form, making mastiha the ultimate aperitif/digestif. Offering a myriad of healing properties, mastiha is anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant, most notably used as a gut health supplement, anti-aging skin care ingredient, and in oral hygiene.
KLEOS is the only double-distilled, small batch, low in sugar, luxury, and woman-owned mastiha brand on the market. KLEOS is crafted through a meticulous distillation process, resulting in a smooth, complex spirit that delivers aromas of carrots, eucalyptus and sage, and botanical tasting notes of cucumber, mint and lemongrass.
The versatility of KLEOS makes it a bartender’s dream. Dubbed “bartender’s olive oil”, it mixes 1:1 with every base spirit on the backbar, and a myriad of fruits, herbs and spices. It can also be used as a base in low-ABV cocktails and spritzes and is balanced enough to be consumed neat or as a sophisticated sipper on the rocks with a wedge of lemon.
Vision & Milestones
“Mastiha is a cherished superfood, yet an undiscovered gem in the spirits world, and with KLEOS, I wanted to honor its legacy in bringing something completely authentic to the market. My mission is to elevate Greek spirits and give consumers a luxury experience that embodies tradition, innovation, and sustainability,” says Panagopoulos.
On March 4th, KLEOS will be honored in a vibrant book, Spirited Women, which will unveil the world of spirits and cocktails exclusively through the lens of 55 women makers, shakers, and trailblazers of the beverage world, including Panagopoulos herself.
Since its first United States launch in March 2018 in Massachusetts, where Effie was born to Greek immigrant parents (making her the second woman from Boston to found a liquor brand), KLEOS has launched in 7 countries and 16 U.S. states, established its e-commerce site making shipping available in 48 U.S. states, sold over 12,000 cases, and consumed in over 800,000 KLEOS cocktails worldwide.
Most recently, KLEOS expanded to new U.S. markets including California and Florida, and was secured at Disney Epcot Center’s Greek Kiosk as the featured Greek spirit brand, as well as Virgin Voyages Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean Cruises. As KLEOS continues to expand this year, Panagopoulos has her sights set on more states including Illinois, Texas and Nevada, and globally hopes to secure Athens’ duty free airport shops. With endorsements from renowned bartenders, Michelin-starred chefs, and beverage industry insiders, KLEOS is fast becoming a global Greek success story.
KLEOS Mastiha Spirit is available at an average SRP of $37.99/700 ML online and shipping to 48 states via BuyKleos.com, Greekazon.com, Wine.com. For more information on KLEOS, please visit www.drinkkleos.com or follow KLEOS on Instagram at www.instagram.com/drinkkleos or Facebook at www.facebook.com/drinkkleos.
About KLEOS Mastiha Spirit
KLEOS Mastiha Spirit is the world’s first super premium mastiha spirit founded by Effie Panagopoulos, the first Greek woman in history to found a liquor brand. KLEOS is a better-for-you, low cal, low sugar, low-ABV botanical spirit made from the ancient Greek superfood – mastiha (mas-tee-hah) – a protected designation of origin (PDO) ingredient that is the resin of the Skinos tree, which only grows in 24 villages in the southern part of the Greek island of Chios. Mastiha kills h. pylori, the bacteria that causes peptic ulcers, gastric cancer, and acid reflux. Healing properties for the stomach and digestive system are retained in liquor form, making it the ultimate aperitif/digestif. More importantly it’s absolutely delicious, fabulous in cocktails – dubbed “bartender’s olive oil” for its versatility. KLEOS is the only double distilled, small batch, low in sugar, luxury, and woman-owned mastiha brand on the market. At only 110 cals, 4g in 2 full ounces, KLEOS is balanced enough to be consumed on the rocks, used as a base spirit, and its low sugar content makes it an optimal ingredient for mixology. The double distillation and complex production process, creates a refined, aromatic, and layered distillate.
KLEOS is available in 7 countries/republics including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey and Australia. KLEOS is available in 16 U.S. states including Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, California, Florida, and more. KLEOS can ship to 48 U.S. states via its e-commerce site BuyKleos.com or Wine.com, Greekazon.com, and can be purchased at Total Wine (64+ locations), Uber Eats, GoPuff, Kappy’s, and more.