Maraska Maraschino Cocktail Cherries
Maraska Maraschino Cocktail Cherries are the real thing: genuine Marasca sour cherries from Croatia, candied in their own natural cherry juice syrup with a whisper of maraschino liqueur. These jarred cocktail cherries are available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
Maraska traces its distilling heritage to Zadar, Croatia — the birthplace of maraschino — with roots in the 16th-century Dominican monastery recipe and Girolamo Luxardo's 1821 liqueur house, whose premises became today's modern Maraska d.d. facility. The Marasca cherry, a small sour cherry variety that grows only in the rocky soil of the Zadar region, is the source of both the company's world-famous maraschino liqueur and these cocktail cherries. Each jar contains roughly 50% candied, pitted cherries and 50% Marasca sour cherry syrup, made with natural ingredients and no artificial coloring — the deep, dark burgundy hue comes entirely from the cherry itself.
Tasting notes: rich, jammy cherry on the nose with subtle almond undertones from the cherry pits. The first bite delivers deep, concentrated cherry flavor with a lush tartness beneath the sweetness, mid-palate earthy notes and a whisper of licorice, and a smooth, fruit-forward finish with the clean natural Marasca tartness lingering. The syrup itself carries an intense cherry character that doubles as a cocktail ingredient — reviewers have awarded these cherries a B+ for genuine fruit character and balanced sweetness.
Why buy Maraska Maraschino Cocktail Cherries? Because a proper Manhattan or Old Fashioned deserves a garnish with real cherry flavor, not neon dye. These are an essential bar garnish for Manhattans, Old Fashioneds, Aviation cocktails, and dessert toppings — and they connect naturally to other cocktail essentials in our cocktails collection and liqueurs collection, plus the full Maraska brand collection for the Zadar distillery's maraschino and brandies.
Serving note: refrigerate after opening to keep quality for several weeks of regular cocktail use. Serve one or two cherries as a garnish in spirit-forward cocktails, or spoon the cherries and a little syrup over vanilla ice cream, cakes, or chocolate desserts.
What makes Maraska cherries different from regular maraschino cherries? They're made from genuine Marasca cherries grown around Zadar, Croatia, offering natural flavor and deep color without artificial dyes or synthetic syrups.
Do these cherries contain alcohol? They are preserved with a hint of maraschino liqueur, giving them a subtle boozy finish — but not enough to be intoxicating. Handle them like a cocktail garnish, not a spirit.
How long do they last once opened? When refrigerated after opening, they maintain quality for several weeks, making them ideal for regular home-bar use.