botanical spirits

Our Story

In March 2024, Ektoras Binikos, a visual artist and celebrated mixologist, partnered with Simon Jutras, an actor, photographer, and designer, to establish our distillery. Together, they are also the creative minds behind the acclaimed Sugar Monk cocktail bar in Harlem. Our botanical elixirs are inspired by the rich tapestry of art, history, music and Alchemy and our comprehensive library boasts over 300 organic varieties of foraged plants. We are proud to collaborate with the esteemed forager Tama Matsuoka Wong, who provides us with a diverse selection of wild plants, roots, fruits, and flowers—many of which are often underappreciated yet bursting with flavor—allowing us to create elixirs that truly reconnect us with the essence of the natural world. Our maceration process occurs in stainless steel vessels, utilizing a high-proof corn-based alcohol sourced from upstate New York, which is charcoal-filtered for optimal neutrality and clarity of flavor.

Ektoras, who originates from the picturesque Greek island of Ikaria in the Aegean Archipelago, draws inspiration from the majestic Atheras mountain range, which rises to 1,037 meters (3,402 feet). The mountainside, especially its ravines, is brimming with wild herbs and shrubs that Binikos sources from local foragers to incorporate into his Amari and various herbal elixirs. In homage to this magical landscape, he has named our brand Atheras Spirits.