The Best Cocktail Cherries to Garnish Your Favorite Cocktail

Get ready to level up your DIY drinks game with the best cocktail cherries. We’ve shaken, stirred, and sipped our way through a lineup of top cocktail cherry brands to find the ultimate garnish for your favorite drinks. From the classics to the hidden gems, we’ll spill the tea on which ones reign supreme. So, whether you like your drinks with a tart twist or a maraschino spin, join us as we introduce the tasty contenders. 

1. Luxardo Maraschino Cherries

No list of the best cherries for cocktails would be complete without Luxardo Maraschino Cherries, which are seen as a stalwart choice across the board. Known for having a sweet, tart, and slightly nutty flavor, it is made using the marasca cherry, which is grown in the Croatian region of Dalmatia.  

The cherries are first soaked in sugar syrup for several weeks, and then they are candied and preserved in a syrup made with marasca cherry liqueur. As such, it is deep red in color and has a slightly chewy texture. The syrup that the cherries are preserved in is also delicious, and it can be used to make cocktails, syrups, and sauces. We especially love Luxardo Maraschino Cherries in a Rob Roy cocktail.  

Read next: 13 Cherry Cocktails to Indulge Sweet & Tangy Flavors 

2. Hotel Starlino Maraschino Cherries  

If you’re on the lookout for the best cocktail cherries for an Old Fashioned, you might want to give Hotel Starlino a try. The cherries are preserved in their natural marasca juice, which gives them a unique flavor profile. They are less bitter than other maraschino cherries and have a more delicate texture. 

Some home mixologists describe the taste of Hotel Starlino Maraschino Cherries as being similar to a mix of sweet cherry, almond, and vanilla. Others find them to have a slightly spicy flavor. The cherries are also known for their juicy and plump texture.  

3. Fabbri Amarena Cherries in Syrup

These are some of the best cherries for a Manhattan cocktail. Fabbri Amarena Cherries in Syrup are made from wild sour cherries that are candied and then preserved in a syrup made from sugar, water, and natural flavors. 

The cherries are deep red in color and have a slightly almond-like flavor. The syrup is also sweet and tart, and it has a slightly syrupy texture. A popular ingredient in Italian cuisine, these beauties are often used to garnish desserts such as ice cream, gelato, and pastries. 

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4. Filthy Black Amarena Cherries

Some of the best black cherries for cocktails, Filthy Black Amarena Cherries are a unique and delicious type of cherry that is made by macerating sour cherries in a syrup made with sugar, water, and black cocoa powder. The cherries are then preserved in the syrup, which gives them a deep red color and a slightly chewy texture. 

The cherries have a sweet and tart flavor with a rich chocolatey undertone. The syrup is also sweet and tart, but it has a slightly more viscous texture than traditional maraschino cherry syrup. Do yourself a favor and try Filthy Black Amarena Cherries in an Italian Manhattan cocktail. 

5. In the Curious Kitchen Boozy Cherries

In the Curious Kitchen Boozy Cherries are dark Italian cherries soaked in a syrup made with Kentucky’s finest spirits and pure organic cane sugar. The cherries are plump and juicy, with a sweet and boozy flavor. They are perfect for adding to cocktails, desserts, and other sweet treats. The syrup that the cherries are soaked in is also delicious and can be drizzled over desserts or add flavor to baked goods. 

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6. Collins Amarena Cherries

Collins Amarena Cherries are a type of sour cherry that is preserved in a syrup made with sugar, water, and natural flavors. They are deep red in color and have a slightly chewy texture. The cherries have a sweet and tart flavor with a slight almond undertone.  

7. Woodford Reserve Bourbon Cherries

Woodford Reserve Bourbon Cherries have a sweet, tart, and boozy flavor. They are made with whole cherries that are pitted and steeped in a syrup made with bourbon, sugar, and natural flavors. The cherries are plump and juicy, and they have a slightly chewy texture. 

The overall flavor of Woodford Reserve Bourbon Cherries is complex and sophisticated, and the syrup is equally delicious and has a sweet and boozy flavor. 

Learn more: Manhattan vs. Old Fashioned Cocktail: What is the Difference? 

8. Traverse City Whiskey Co. Premium Cocktail Cherries

Traverse City Whiskey Co. Premium Cocktail Cherries are made with Balaton cherries, which are a type of sour cherry known for its complex flavor. The cherries are slow cooked in a copper pot with sugar, water, and natural flavorings. This slow-cooking process helps to preserve the cherries’ natural flavor and imparts a very pleasant texture.  

9. Filthy Wild Italian Amarena Cherries

Filthy Wild Italian Amarena Cherries have a sweet, tart, and slightly nutty flavor. They are made from wild sour cherries that are grown in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna. The cherries are first soaked in a syrup made with sugar, water, and natural flavors, and then they are candied and preserved in an Amaretto syrup for a nutty finish.  

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10. Tillen Farms Rum Bada Bing Cherries

Tillen Farms Rum Bada Bing Cherries are made with stem-on Northwest-grown cherries that are pitted and then soaked in a syrup made with rum, sugar, and natural flavors. The cherries are plump and juicy, and they have a slightly chewy texture. If you are a rum-lover, these are the cherries for you. 

11. St. Agrestis Amaro Soaked Cherries

St. Agrestis Amaro Soaked Cherries are first soaked in a syrup made with St. Agrestis Amaro, which is a Brooklyn-based amaro that is made with a blend of 20 herbs, spices, flowers, roots, seeds, and citrus. The cherries are soaked in this syrup for 12 weeks, which allows the amaro flavors to infuse into the cherries. The overall flavor of St. Agrestis Amaro Soaked Cherries is sweet, tart, and slightly herbal. The cherries have a deep red color and a slightly chewy texture. 

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12. Distilleries Peureux Griottines Cherries

Distilleries Peureux Griottines Cherries are made from Morello cherries, which are a type of sour cherry that is known for its complex flavor. The cherries are grown in the Franche-Comté region of France, famous for its fertile soil and ideal climate for growing fruit trees.  

Distilleries Peureux Griottines Cherries are first macerated in a blend of liquors, including kirsch and brandy. This maceration process helps to preserve the cherries’ flavor and texture resulting in a very unique garnish. 

13. Maraska Maraschino Cocktail Cherries

Maraska Maraschino Cocktail Cherries are made by the Maraska company, which was founded in 1821, according to a recipe passed down for generations. In fact, Maraska is one of the oldest and most respected producers of Maraschino cherries in the world.  

The company’s cherries are hand-selected and renowned for their high quality and consistent flavor. First soaked in a sugar syrup for several weeks, their Marasca cherries are then candied and preserved in a syrup made with Marasca cherry liqueur. 

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How to store cocktail cherries and understand their shelf life

Storing cocktail cherries is simple. Seal the jar tightly and keep it in the refrigerator to maintain freshness and prevent spoilage. Properly stored, they can last up to a year or even longer. However, take note of any ‘best by’ dates on the packaging and regularly check for signs of spoilage, such as off odors or changes in color or texture.  

If cherries appear compromised, discard them to ensure safe consumption. To extend their shelf life, consider transferring a portion of the cherries into a smaller container for frequent use, keeping the rest sealed until needed, and always using clean utensils to avoid contamination. 

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