Some of the fruit liqueurs that the French do best contain oranges. Cointreau ranks among the world’s most famous after dinner tipples and Grand Marnier isn’t too far behind. Both take the humble orange and raise it to a whole new level, not just in taste but in design. The two brands boast some of the best looking bottles in the drinks cabinet. Pure oranges make pure fruit liqueurs The document covers a lot of topics that’s I’ve already mentioned (the history, the role of the Zadar region in growing Marasca cherries, highlights of the production), but also gives more explanations on how Maraschino is made: Volare Cherry Brandy Liqueur is made by infusing and distilling Italian cherries. The cherry distillate is then blended with an Italian base brandy. The cherry stones are left in during fermentation to allow a distinct almond flavour to infuse. On The Nose Chambord fruit liqueur offers a world of flavours that range from the sweetly acidic raspberry to the rich oak undertones from the cognac oak barrels. It comes in a characteristic round bottle – the Chambord Royale has a crown bottle top – and has a strength of 16.5%. How to drink Chambord

Following the original recipe from 1818, Steven’s cherries are crushed with their stones to create a slight almond flavour. Herbs and spices are added to the crushed cherries and blended with fine brandy. Last but not least, our next berry liqueur originates from Chambord on the banks of the Loire, famous for its unique chateau. Originally concocted in the 17 th century and reputedly presented to King Louis XIV for his approval, Chambord liqueur takes raspberries as its base. Here are a few of my creations, some based on existing recipes where I added a Croatian twist, and some entirely new concoctions, also with a strong Croatian connection: There’s rakija, too. And Slivovica, plum brandy, which also counts among the national drinks, though Maraska doesn’t sell a lot of it domestically because nearly everyone in Slavonia makes their own at home! As a result, anyone in Croatia with a Slavonian connection buys the homemade stuff, and only tourists and the occasional Dalmatian or Istrian buy industrial slivovica. The rest is exported to the German and US markets. In addition to slivovica, Maraska makes a Bartlett pear brandy, a grape pomace brandy (komovica), and a grape pomace brandy macerated with Dalmatian herbs (travarica). The red fruit (unstoned to add to flavour) is fermented in oak barrels before sugar and alcohol complete the recipe. It tastes sweet and rich, and you’ll notice distinct almond undertones both in the bouquet and on the palate. These come from the stones. How to drink GuignoletIf you're looking for an alcohol-free alternative, try cherry syrup. If you want to keep it as close to the original as possible, consider getting marasca syrup or making your own at home. History of Maraschino Liqueur A leaf distillate is produced by chopping cherry leaves (the main ingredient), stems, and bark, macerating them in an alcoholic solution for up to 60 days, then distilling the macerate in a copper pot still so that the resulting distillate contains 55-65% alcohol. Bad news: no pictures allowed inside. If it’s any consolation, the plant is nothing like a Scottish distillery where large copper stills stand in the middle of the room like shrines to immemorial tradition. A lot of the production doesn’t involve distillation (distillation doesn’t go on year-round; it wasn’t happening during my visit), but rather maceration and blending, and this is reflected in the overall layout of the unassuming industrial building. A slightly sweet cherry syrup on the palate with cherry tartness continues to the flavoursome tart cherry finish. Best Served Taste: The typical distinctive taste of Marasca cherry, which is characterized by sour-sweet notes and a slight bitterness.

Founded in Dijon, Burgundy, in 1874, Gabriel Boudier Guignolet is currently run by the Battault family. The family still uses the original recipes for their liqueur and spirits. The brand became renowned when it was the first to offer a Saffron Gin to the world. The most popular dessert in Croatia is probably pala ? inke, or pancakes. These can be served many different ways, such as filled with plum jam or a walnut and cream mixture, or simply sprinkled with lemon juice and sugar. Fritule are small doughnuts that are always made for Christmas and Easter in the coastal areas of Croatia. These are often served as a welcome to the celebration along with a shot of rakija, a brandy made from wine or pressed grapes. Strudel and knedle (dumplings filled with cherries or plums) are also popular desserts, and walnut and poppy seed roulade is a much-loved classic often seen in Croatian households. This tasting is a bit less thorough: I’m only comparing two products, both from Maraska. I’ve already mentioned that Maraska produces several cherry liqueurs in addition to maraschino. Unlike Zadar’s favorite child, they’re meant to deliver straight cherry flavor. Dozens of countries product similar products, but I wanted to gauge the difference between two Maraska offerings specifically: Since 1992 I have been an avid drinks enthusiast and have been making Mead in my native country of Lithuania for over 30 years. I am also a drinks writer and member of the British Distilleries Alliance. As unique as this marasca liqueur is, you still can find some products you can use to substitute it. Yet, keep in mind that each has its own flavor profile, which will impact your final results. Despite the similarities, some are quite a stretch from the original. Cherry HeeringVisit Chambord and discover the origins of this classic fruit liqueur for yourself on board one of our luxury barge cruises. Our step by step guide to French liqueurs: Ripe sour Marasca and Dalmatian cherries are smashed and left to ferment. The mash is then strained to remove the solids, and the cherry juice is blended with a locally produced brandy and left to age in wood casks for two years. On The Nose Unsurprisingly, this combination gives the orange liqueur vanilla and oak overtones, both in taste and scent, to remind you of its origins. Grand Marnier also tastes heavier than Cointreau as the brandy adds ‘weight’ to the drink’s texture. Although it has the same 40% strength. How to drink Grand Marnier Some of my longtime readers might remember this recipe for maraschino cherries. In the post, I mention that Maraschino, unbeknownst to most people, wasn’t invented in Italy but in Croatia. Ten years later, I finally get to talk about the place where it all began: the town of Zadar (called Zara in Italian), in Dalmatia. Incredibly rich cherry tart flavours with a smooth velvety feel. Mid-palate is balanced between sweet and sour, leading to a feisty cherry finish. Best Served

Fun Fact: I also tried mixing the three maraschinos, and the sum might have been better than any of the parts!) Cherry liqueur tasting Maraschino liqueur does have a slight cherry flavor. Yet, first and foremost, it is bitter, slightly dry, and also carries notes of almonds. The almonds are particularly detectable when drunk neat. Then sugar and water are added. There must be 300 to 360 g of sugar per liter, and the final alcohol content must reach a minimum of 32%. Sweet stewed cherries on the opening become richer and more decadent mid-palate. The finish is sweet and smooth, with a faint almond bite. Best Served

Our team provides a worldwide drinks review service to assist our readers from every country make informed drinks purchasing decisions for events, parties, gifts, or simply enjoying at home. While Maraschino is clear, cherry Heering has a bold red color. Overall a good substitute but significantly sweeter than the original. Cherry Brandy Pour the rakija, green Chartreuse, maraschino, and lime juice into a shaker filled with ice cubes. Shake well, then strain into a 150 ml / 5 fl oz martini glass or coupe. But WWII marks an ill turn of fate for the distilleries. In 1943 and 1944, Allied bombing destroys approximately 80% of buildings in Zadar. Most of the liqueur factories are destroyed, and production practically grinds to a halt. After Tito seizes the city in 1944, Zadar’s Italians are forced to flee in what might be called, depending on which view one takes, either persecution (many ethnic Italians were killed or just plain executed during the next few years), or mere swing of the pendulum (Italy had occupied Dalmatia for centuries; many rightly objected to Mussolini’s assertion that there was a “natural law” for stronger peoples to subject and dominate “inferior” peoples such as the “barbaric” Slavic peoples of Yugoslavia). Let’s take Maraschino for instance. Zadar Maraschino benefits from a European Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), which requires producing within the three Dalmatian counties that stretch roughly from Zadar to Makarska, and following a specific production process. The fruits are fermented, macerated in grain alcohol, and distilled in the first room. In parallel, the stems and leaves are macerated and distilled, producing a more bitter and sour spirit. At first, both distillates are poured into separate tanks in the second room. Next, the distillates are blended and remain in storage tanks first to rest (the alcohol content at this stage is around 61-64%), then to wait until demand requires bottling a new batch (e.g., there’s not much demand for souvenir bottles outside of the tourist season). The Maraschino is made once a year, beginning right after the harvest, and the whole process takes about 6 months (including resting time), so the distillate blend waits for additional demand, then the remaining ingredients (such as sugar) are added, and the finished Maraschino heads for bottling. The Maraschino that hits the shelves, then, is between half a year and a year and a half old.

A fruit distillate is produced by stemming, crushing, and pitting the harvested cherries, fermenting them, adding ethanol of agricultural origin for maceration, then distilling the macerate in a copper pot still so that the resulting distillate contains 55-65% alcohol. Manda Maraschino, produced by the famous Bibich Winery in Skradin. Bibich actually makes two different maraschinos (the other one called Sv. Donat), but I don’t know what distinguishes one from the other. This one, Manda maraschino, isn’t a Zadar maraschino, although Skradin is technically located in the protected geographical area. The ingredients listed on the bottle are Marasca cherry distillate, Marasca cherry, sugar, water. The label also shows an alcohol content of 32% and a sugar content of 200 g /l. So compared to Maraska, it’s got no grain alcohol, significantly less sugar, and no natural flavors. It is unclear to me what role the Marasca cherry (the second ingredient in the list) plays: cherry distillate is already the main ingredient, and since the liqueur is clear, the cherries can’t have been macerated in it. Slivovica takes less time to make, which makes sense since the recipe is much simpler (ferment, distill, rest). Same for cherry brandy liqueur, which merely requires blending juice and alcohol (blend, rest), and that’s called “alcoholized cherry juice” in Croatia. Vodka is even simpler, and it’s produced year-round.Taste: Very sweet, mild but again with well-balanced cherry and vegetal flavors. The distillation of the leaves and stems clearly plays an important role. Not your typical cherry liqueur, for sure. Marasca cherries, sometimes also spelled maraska, have a dark red color, are small, quite firm, and astonishingly sour. Their origin lies in the coastal regions of Croatia, in the Dalamatia region, to be precise. In the immediate post-war period, the living erstwhile owners of the three most important distilleries, Vittorio Salghetti-Drioli, Giorgio Luxardo, and Romano Vlahov, seek refuge in Italy and rebuild their businesses in Mira (near Venice), Torreglia (near Padua), and Bologna, respectively. They recapture some of their traditional markets, particularly the U.K., but Vlahov ultimately closes its doors in the 1970s, with Drioli following in the 1980s. Today, Luxardo is the last exile still standing (and, according to this article, uses a different strain of Marasca cherry). Meanwhile, in Yugoslavia, the new communist government decides to rebuild one factory. All assets from the old operations, including some equipment and machinery that hasn’t been destroyed in the war, are confiscated by the state, and in 1946 the former liqueur heavyweights are consolidated into a single state enterprise called Maraska. The old Luxardo building, almost totally ruined by the Allied bombs, is rebuilt exactly as it was before and becomes the new company’s plant. Soon, the Yugoslavs are producing and selling their own version of Maraschino liqueur, using Francesco Drioli’s original recipe.