Zivania
Zivania is one of the most typical Cypriot traditional products. It is a spirit perfectly intertwined with Cypriot tradition and culture that has been characterized as the favorite aperitif of intellectuals but also a drink for friends and guests, enjoyed all year round either by the sea or on the mountain.
General Information
Zivania is mentioned for the first time in Homer's Odyssey. Homer refers to it as zivanon, a strong drink consumed by the Cyclops on the island of the Laistrygons. Zivania takes its name from the word zivana or zivano, as in the Cypriot dialect are called stems, the remains of the grapes from which it is produced.
Zivania has been produced on the island continuously since the 14th century. Its production continued even during the Ottoman and British occupation of the island, while it is a basic occupation and an important source of income for the winegrowers.
Since 2004 it has been protected under EU regulations as a product unique to Cyprus prohibiting any other spirit to be produced and marketed in this form and under this name from any other country.
A similar product is produced in other countries and gets its name according to the name of the grape skins, such as tsipouro in Thessaly, tsikoudia in Crete, grappa in Italy, arak in the Arab countries, rakea in Bulgaria, etc.
It is worth noting that, before modern medicine, zivania was a basic element of first aid in every Cypriot home. Even today it can be used to heal and sterilize a wound, to massage sore body parts, to numb a toothache and to warm the body when it is cold. It is also a particularly important drink in the mountain villages of the island because it helps people stay warm.
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Production – Distillation
In Cyprus, the method of distillation was systematically applied by the Venetian alchemists, during the time of the Venetian rule (1489 AD–1571 AD), who worked in secret laboratories in order not to spread their art to others. Then, taking many elements from them, the winegrowers of the island developed their own distillation technique.
Zivania is distilled from the grape skins, i.e. the remains of the grapes that were pressed during winemaking. These include the stalks and seeds, which are mixed with dry wines from local varieties. Once the fermentation is complete, the mixture is transferred to the main part of the ambyka (cauldron) or lampikos in Cypriots and the distillation begins. The last zivania that comes out of the hemps is called "porakos" and has a low alcohol concentration.
Three main types of distillation are found in the Cypriot tradition which produce different quality and intensity of zivania:
• Wine distillation
• Distillation of a mixture of wine and grapes
• Distillation of a mixture of grapes, water and "porac"
Zivania is a white clear spirit with strong aromatic intensity and spicy notes of ripe grape, raisin and spices. Its taste is exuberant and fatty due to the content of ethyl alcohol and other fatty compounds, it does not contain sugars and has no acidity. Its alcohol content may vary. It is usually found at around 40% abv, but is often described as a “fire” drink, as it can reach 99% alcohol concentration.
In some villages they also add cinnamon, giving the drink a red color and differentiating its aroma and taste. As Zivania ages, it becomes even better and more aromatic, and an old bottle of Zivania is consumed on special occasions and events.
Serving Ideas
It is served chilled (ideally straight from the freezer) and accompanied by almonds, loukoumi (Turkish delight), suzuko or small appetizers such as loukaniko (traditional Cypriot sausage), lountza (traditional Cypriot smoked pork) or tsamarella (large pieces of salted goat meat, which is ripened in sun for a few days, seasoned with oregano and exposed again to the sun for another day).
In recent years, in addition to normal, fruit zivania, but also aged zivania have been on the market. It has even begun to be used intensively in the bars of the island to create cocktails with a local character.
