Skip to main content

And a Cherry On Top: 5 of the Best Cocktail Cherries

A cherry on top of an ice cream sundae is okay, but there are few things as satisfying as a cherry at the bottom of a cocktail glass. We’re not talking about your run-of-the-mill cherries, either, because the cherry you use in your Manhattan does matter.

(Forget how to make a Manhattan? Check out this video.)

Recommended Videos

Like we said, these aren’t the sickly sweet, fluorescent red cherries you find on top the whipped cream or in restaurant Cherry Coke (and, sometimes, in a poorly-made cocktail). Somehow those fake cherries (we use the word ‘fake’ literally here) sat atop the cocktail heap for decades. Not anymore, though, as other producers are bringing real cherries with real flavor to bars across the world.

Whether they’re candied or preserved in some form of booze, these are the best cocktail cherries you can buy for your next drink.

Luxardo, The Original Maraschino Cherries

Luxardo, The Original Maraschino Cherries
Image used with permission by copyright holder

From Italy, these sweet cherries have certainly recently captured the cocktail world — and even the culinary world — by storm. It’s for good reason, they’re the “original,” according to the label and company story. The intense flavor, including beautiful almond notes, can leave some weak in the knees. Unlike the red cherries of the ice cream parlor, these fruits come in an almost-purple hue. They also come with a pretty steep price tag — Williams Sonoma sells a single jar for $20. They’re worth it, though, as they come from an Italian distillery making the famed cherry-flavored liqueur, Maraschino. They then created the OG maraschino cherry by candying the cherries in the fruit’s juice and sugar.

Traverse City Whiskey Co. Premium Cocktail Cherries

Traverse City Whiskey Co
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Hailing from the Cherry Capital of the World, it only makes sense Traverse City Whiskey makes an American Cherry Whiskey — which smells sweet and cherry-like, but goes down instead with just a hint of the fruit — and this year it extended the line to include actual candied cherries. Not surprisingly, the cherries are all grown in Northern Michigan and are slow cooked after a soak in bourbon. Don’t worry, though, the alcohol cooks off still leaving a nice essence (unless the lack of bourbon is what worries you, then it’s time to panic).

Fabbri Amarena Cherries

Fabbri Amarena Cherries
Image used with permission by copyright holder

This brand is also making its way across the country on bar tops, at least in part to the fancy, aesthetically-pleasing blue and white jars they’re stored in. Fabbri Amarena Cherries tend to be a bit smaller and fruitier than the Luxardos, but;like the Luxardo cherries, Fabbri also stakes a claim dating their production back to 1905. The company makes a wide range of products for use in professional and home settings. If you can’t find these, Trader Joe’s also sells Pitted Amarena Cherries, a great cheap alternative.

Toschi Sour Cherries

Toschi Sour Cherries
Image used with permission by copyright holder

There’s certainly something about the cherries made in Italy. Toschi has been making their black sour cherries (what they are most famous for) for more than 65 years in addition to a variety of other cherries that are stored in syrup or spirit. These sour cherries are stoned and slightly sweetened, then packed in a delectable syrup that functions just as well as a cocktail ingredient on its own. Toschi also makes a line of other fruits preserved in alcohol, including Nocino and Lemoncello — which they also sell. Beyond liqueurs, Toschi is known for both their gelato and their balsamic vinegar of Modena. The brand’s jars are reminiscent of Fabbri, but red and white.

Griottines Brandy Soaked Cherries

Griottines Brandy Soaked Cherries
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Griottines are made by a distillery in France with Oblachinska Morello cherries going through a six-month period of macerations in liqueur. The strict process — the cherries must begin their process within six hours of picking — is detailed on the company’s website. The final stage is the addition of kirsch, a cherry brandy also known as cherry water. The fruits are packaged at the end of the process with the liqueurs, coming in at 15 percent alcohol by volume, so a snack session on these could take place of the actual cocktail.

Pat Evans
Pat Evans is a writer based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, focusing on food and beer, spirits, business, and sports. His full…
I’m going to be drinking this refreshing spritz all summer long
Lillet

The spritz is an iconic summer drink, but my very favorite type of spritz isn't made with Aperol -- instead, it uses Lillet. If you haven't tried Lillet before, it's a little like vermouth, but with a hefty bitter edge from quinine that I love. If you enjoy the bitter and refreshing edge of tonic water, then I reckon you'd love Lillet Blanc too.

My usual go-to Lillet spritz recipe is equal parts of Lillet and sparkling water, plus an absolute ton of cucumber slices, all served in a big copa glass over a large ice cube. I find that the cucumber gives a crisp, juicy addition to the drink and makes for a lovely low-ABV sipper.

Read more
Learn to love cognac with these beginner-friendly cocktail recipes
Courvoisier

Cognac is one of those spirits which you've heard of but even the experienced bartender might not be so familiar with. Though it has a fancy reputation, you needn't be scared of mixing cognac into cocktails, as its intense and rich flavors work well to easily elevate even simple mixed drinks into something special.

As today is National Cognac Day, below we have two recipes to share which make use both Courvoisier, a premium French coganc, and Grand Marnier, a cognac and orange liqueur, that can ease you into the delicious world of this classic French spirit.

Read more
We asked an expert bartender to tell us the best bourbons for beginners
Whiskey expert Frederic Yarm picks the best beginner bourbons
Whiskey in a glass

Bourbon, like all types of whisk(e)y can feel intimidating to the novice drinker. Even with its heart in Kentucky, there seems to be countless noteworthy brands from Louisville to Los Angeles. It’s enough to make you grab the first eye-catching bottle you see at your local liquor store and call it good. But, if you do that, you might get lucky and find your new go-to whiskey, or you might end up with something that turns you off from bourbon completely. You wouldn’t want that.

Finding your way in the bourbon world doesn’t come easy. I’ve been writing about alcohol for nearly two decades and it took me a while to learn about America’s “native spirit” and find the brands and expressions that would find permanent spots on my home bar.

Read more