The Ultimate Cocktail Cherry Review (29 Products Reviewed)

I don’t know about you, but I recall when I first experienced a proper cherry garnishing my cocktail. Up to that point I was blissfully ignorant of the vast difference between the electric red #40 orbs masquerading as Maraschino cherries and an actual Marasca cherry drowned in syrup and produced in Europe using centuries-old techniques.

With so many styles and varieties available, it’s hard to determine which cocktail cherry is the best. Not only are Maraschino and Amarena cherries better suited for different cocktails, there is a wide range of quality and price in what’s available. So, I set out to create the ultimate cocktail cherry review by purchasing 29 jars of cherries.

The cocktail cherry is special. Most cocktail garnishes provide you with a visual payoff as soon as the cocktail is presented to you. However, the cocktail cherry flips that script, and gives you its greatest reward after you have finished the final satisfying sip. Sure, there are briny olives, pickled onions, and the occasional berry, but it’s hard to beat the versatile and ubiquitous cherry.

Before diving into the review, here is a quick cocktail cherry crash course.

However, if you want to jump straight to the results, I promise I won’t judge.

Jump to the Cocktail Cherry Comparison Chart

Jump to the Index of Cherries Reviewed

Jump to My Top Picks

Cocktail Cherry Overview

Some cocktail cherries are labeled based on their variety, and others based on their preparation method. There are many varieties, but what you’ll most commonly find for cocktails are Amarena, Bing, and Marasca. For preparation methods, you’ll find thick syrups, thinner syrups, and cherries preserved in (and flavored by) various types of alcohol. I’ve included some links to additional information on cherry varieties at the end of this article if you’re so inclined.

In broad terms, cocktail cherries can be divided into three categories: sweet, sour, and brandied. Generally speaking, Maraschino cherries are sweet and Amarenas are sour.

The traditional European method for creating maraschino cherries is to preserve Marasca cherries in maraschino liqueur (think Luxardo Maraschino). Marasca is the type of cherry, and maraschino refers to the way it’s processed. However, in the U.S., the FDA’s relaxed guidelines allow other types of cherries to be used. These cherries are bleached, sweetened heavily, and then artificially dyed. I included two brands of “American Maraschino” cherries in this review just to be thorough.

Why Trust My Review

I’ve been an avid cocktail enthusiast for over 15 years. I’ve developed cocktail menus for restaurants and written published articles on cocktails. I’ve also judged several cocktail competitions with industry leaders including, David Wondrich, Paul Clarke, Camper English, and more.

Review Process

For this review, I scored each cherry on its merit since it would be impractical to judge any particular cherry with a single cocktail in mind. A cherry like the whiskey-soaked Dirty Sue will not taste good in your Last Word, but it would work well in your Old Fashioned. As you read the cherry reviews, keep that in mind. This article is best used as a general resource. Trust your own palate when it comes to selecting the right cherry for a specific cocktail. The chart at the end of this article is good for a quick comparison, but a brand’s individual section will provide more information.

What The Ratings Mean

I kept with a simple 5-point scale. Consider a score of 1 to be equivalent to a low-quality, red-dyed, cherry. Many brands rank around a 3—these are not necessarily bad cherries, but they aren’t exceptional. Also, this rating scale does not factor in the price. If you want to price shop, use the chart and simply compare pricing.

When possible, I have noted the provenance and variety of cherry a particular brand uses. When this was not specified, I provided an educated guess based on information found on the website or additional articles.

Assessing the Flavor

When reviewing the chart, you’ll note that the column for Flavor is simplified. This is to aid in the sorting process. Please see a particular section for detailed info. The descriptors of sweet, tart, and semi-sweet are obvious. When an item is noted as “/spirit” it is a prepared cherry that is soaked in brandy or whiskey.

It’s also worth noting that traditionally Amarena cherries are a balance of sweet and tart flavors, whereas maraschinos are simply sweet. Rather than automatically assigning a flavor profile to a cherry based on standards of a style/variety, I assigned it based on actual taste. My taste is objective, so where you see an Amarena designated as sweet, understand that this means I feel it is not in line with the categorical flavor profile that it should represent.

I’ve included the full ingredient list with every brand as well. All the cherries in this review are pitted, but some are stem-on while others are stemless.

Storing Cherries and Their Shelf Life

The shelf life and storage recommendations for all these cherries vary. In general, if they’re in thick syrup you have a couple of months at room temperature. Placing these cherries in the fridge may cause the syrup to crystalize. If the cherries are in a thin syrup, refrigerate them. If they are in a high percentage of alcohol like the Griottines, shelf life is much longer.

In short, just use common sense and read the label. If they smell off or develop any sort of floaters or white mold, ditch them.

A Note on Pricing

Prices listed were the current Amazon prices at the time of publishing this article. Products may be available for lower costs through other online retailers or your local shops. For example, some of the Collins brands were available at my local liquor store for half the price! I also discovered instances where the Amazon price was less. That said, I wouldn’t expect as much of a price variance for the better and well-known brands.

I also note the product weight, and understand that may not be the most useful data point since the syrup densities vary and some cherries are stemmed. If it were practical, I’d have broken it down to an average cost per cherry, but that seemed excessive. Cherries like the Amarena are nearly half the size of some of the larger Bing cherries I reviewed.

Sorting Through the Results

The 29 types of cocktail cherries I selected for this review are listed below. Click on a brand to jump to that particular review. I’ve also included a comprehensive chart at the end of this article if you want to see the comparison visually. If you’re trying to decide which cocktail cherry is best for an old fashioned, Manhattan, etc., you’ll likely want to check out the brand’s dedicated section. Each section covers the essentials from the cherry variety, provenance, preparation method, and more.

PS – If you appreciate this review, don’t miss my clear ice mold review and Ultimate Tonic Syrup Review.

Jump to the Cocktail Cherry Comparison Chart

The List of Cocktail Cherries Reviewed

• Collins Amarena Cherries
• Collins Bordeaux Stemmed Cherries
• Collins Bourbon Cherries
• Collins Maraschino Cocktail Cherries
• D’Amarena Cocktail Cherries
• Dirty Sue Whiskey Cherries
• Egbert’s Premium Cocktail Cherries by Dashfire
• Evan Williams Bourbon Black Cherries
• Fabbri Amarena Cherries in Syrup
• Filthy Red Maraschino Cherries
• Filthy Wild Italian Amarena Cherries
• Griottines Cocktail Cherries in Kirsch
• Hotel Starlino Maraschino Cherries
• Jack Rudy Bourbon Cocktail Cherries
• Luxardo Original Maraschino Cherries
• Maraska Maraschino Cocktail Cherries
• Peninsula Premium Cocktail Cherries
• Rex Amarena
• Rex Maraschino
• Royal Harvest Bordeaux Maraschino Cherries
• Tillen Farms Bada Bing Cherries
• Tillen Farms Bourbon Bada Bing Cherries
• Tillen Farms Fire and Spiced Maraschino Cherries
• Tillen Farms Merry Maraschino Cherries
• Tillen Farms Rainier Reserve Cherries
• Tillen Farms Rum Bada Bing Cherries
• Toschi Amarena Black Cherries in Syrup
• Trader Joe’s Pitted Amarena Cherries
• Traverse City Whiskey Co. Premium Cocktail Cherries
• Woodford Reserve Bourbon Cherries

Jump to the Cocktail Cherry Comparison Chart

Collins Amarena Cherries

Very sweet for an Amarena, and larger as well. Nice crispness to the skin. I really like this cherry. Even they they are sweet for an Amarena, I found it to be the best one that Collins produces. It doesn’t have the “sex appeal” of the well-known cocktail brands, but it’s a good value. While it’s not a factor in this rating, it is disappointing to see the label of all their products feature butchered version of classic cocktails that are designed to only promote their mixology products. For example, this jar of Collins Amarena cherries features a Manhattan recipe which calls for 2 ounces of whiskey, 1 ounce of Collins Manhattan Cocktail Mix, Collins Amarena Cherries. No vermouth and no bitters—rough. I thought that perhaps the Manhattan mix had something resembling vermouth, but sadly it’s mostly sugar, orange juice, cherry juice, and preservatives.

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Ingredients: cherries, sugar, glucose-fructose syrup, sour cherry juice, fruit and vegetable concentrate, citric acid, natural flavor

Official Site: Collins Chicago
Instagram: @collinschicago

Collins Bordeaux Stemmed Cherries

Pretty bland as far as cherries go—perhaps neutral is a better descriptor. They are larger which leads me to think they are Bing cherries and they have a nice body to them. These cherries are stem-on, but many did not maintain their stems during the production process. While they aren’t bad, nothing stands out.

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Ingredients: cherries, water, sugar, fruit and vegetable concentrates, citric acid, natural flavors

Official Site: Collins Chicago
Instagram: @collinschicago

Collins Bourbon Cherries

These are larger cherries (possibly Bing) in a thin syrup. You can taste the bourbon which adds notes of vanilla. These cherries are stem-on, but many did not maintain their stems during the production process. I’d rate these half a point higher than the Collins Bordeaux Cherries, only because the bourbon adds some additional flavor.

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Ingredients: cherries, water, sugar, fruit and vegetable concentrate, citric acid, natural flavors, Heritage Brown Sugar Bourbon

Official Site: Collins Chicago
Instagram: @collinschicago

Collins Maraschino Cherries

When making these cherries, it seems the main goal was to see how sweet they could make them. The ingredients include corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, and sugar, with a dash of red #40 for good measure. These cherries are stem-on, but many did not maintain their stems during the production process. Unfortunately, this is the “iconic” cherry that most of us have learned to despise.

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Ingredients: cherries, water, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, citric acid, natural and artificial flavors, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, FD&C red #40, sulfur dioxide

Official Site: Collins Chicago
Instagram: @collinschicago

D’Amarena Cocktail Cherries

Overall, not a bad tasting cherry. The branding is no-frills and after reading up on their website, it’s clear why—they have a wholesale division that provides amarena cherries of all sizes to the food service industry. These stemmed cherries are in a thick syrup, and I did encounter some pits during my tasting. Despite these being Amarena, which are known for their tartness, I found them to be on the sweeter end. Availability on Amazon can be limited, so my hunch is that the $20 price tag is an Amazon reseller looking to make some quick money. However, there are better cherries for the for the same or lower price.

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Ingredients: cherries, sugar, glucose-fructose syrup, amarena juice, fruit concentrate, anthocyanin, carmine, citric acid, flavors, potassium sorbate, sulphites

Official Site: D’Amarena
Instagram: NA

Dirty Sue Whiskey Cherries

Dirty Sue’s Stardust cherries were some of the largest ones I reviewed. The syrup that these cherries are in is on the thinner side, but still sweet. The cherries themselves retain a texture more akin to a fresh cherry, all the way from the skin to the fruit. They are soaked in whiskey and have additional spices added and are vanilla-heavy, so I would consider these flavored cherries. They are good, but not the most versatile for a range of cocktails.

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Ingredients: cherries, sugar, concentrated cherry juice, concentrated red currant juice, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, citric acid, star anise, vanilla, Kentucky bourbon, Tennessee whiskey

Official Site: Dirty Sue
Instagram: @drinkdirtysue

Egbert’s Premium Cocktail Cherries by Dashfire

Egbert’s cherries are a product of Dashfire Bitters, and they even include their aromatic bitters in the recipe for these brandied cherries. The texture is quite soft and they lack that satisfying skin texture that many of the higher-end amarenas have. The cherry size is small to medium. I found them to be fairly lacking in complex flavor…they taste like the cherry juice with bitters added.

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Ingredients: cherries, sugar, cherry juice concentrate, Dashfire Old Fashioned Bitters, vegetable juice, citric acid, salt

Official Site: Dashfire
Instagram: @dashfirebitters

Evan Williams Bourbon Black Cherries

These brandied cherries are very large and are prepared stem-on. I found them to be very sweet, despite not being in a rich syrup. Looking over the extensive ingredient list, it’s clear why. While they don’t taste particularly bad, I’d say they are a pass unless you’re gifting them to an Evan Williams fan.

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Ingredients: cherries, water, sugar, fruit and vegetable concentrate, natural flavor, brown sugar, apple juice, orange juice, lemon juice, sodium metabisulfite, sodium sulfite, lemon oil, bourbon, caramel color, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate

Official Site: Evan Williams
Instagram: @evanwilliamsbourbon

Fabbri Amarena Cherries in Syrup

Made in Italy with wild amarena cherries since 1915 using Gennaro Fabbri’s original recipe. These are medium sized cherries with a slightly firm skin. They have an overall sweetness with a balanced tart finish. By many, these are considered the gold-standard for Amarena cherries in syrup and it’s clear why. The price per jar is higher, but it is one of the larger jars featured in this review.

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Ingredients: sugar, wild cherries, glucose syrup, water, wild cherry juice, citric acid, flavorings, color anthocyanins extracted from plants

Official Site: Fabbri
Instagram: @fabbriusa

Filthy Red Maraschino Cherries

With so many well-made cocktail products, I’m surprised that Filthy produces the infamous stemmed, red, sugar orb. These are marginally better than the Collins Maraschinos (the ingredient list is nearly identical), and I’m surprised Filthy uses red #40. They do come off as slightly less sweet than the Collins brand, which I’d attribute to the malic and citric acids. I included these in the review out of curiosity, but I’d consider them a hard pass.

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Ingredients: cherries, water, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, malic acid, citric acid, natural and artificial flavors, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, FD&C red #40, sulfur dioxide

Official Site: Filthy Food
Instagram: @filthyfoods

Filthy Wild Italian Amarena Cherries

The Filthy brand is a newer addition to the market with their full line of cherries, stuffed olives, onions, mixers, and more. Their Amarena cherries are similar to Fabbri, with their balance of sweet and tart flavors and slightly firm skin. However, compared to Fabbri, it seems that more of the cherries in the jar were damaged/smashed.

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Ingredients: cherries, sugar, glucose syrup, filtered water, wild cherry juice, citric acid, fruit and vegetable juice for color, natural flavors

Official Site: Filthy Food
Instagram: @filthyfoods

Griottines Cocktail Cherries in Kirsch

Of all the cherries reviewed, these are some that I was more excited about. From their fancy jar, high price, and preparation method, they are somewhat in a category all to themselves. These Morello cherries are are jarred in a mixture of kirschwasser (cherry brandy) and and neutral spirit. (10% of the alcohol used is kirsch) The total alcohol content for these cherries is 15%, so I’m slightly surprised that they’re available through Amazon. The distillery was founded in 1864 by Auguste Peureux in Fougerolles, France. These are more in line with the other brandied cherries reviewed, except you can really taste the alcohol on these. The cherries are tender and slightly sweet, with a somewhat dry bitter finish from the alcohol.

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Ingredients: cherries, sugar, alcohol

Official Site: Grandes Distilleries Peureux
Instagram: @griottines_officiel

Hotel Starlino Maraschino Cherries

Hotel Starlino’s Maraschino cherries are beautifully packaged and created to accompany their line of vermouths. The cherries are medium-large, pitted, and stemmed, and in a rich syrup. They have that pleasant “pop” to the skin when you take a bite. They have a mid-level sweetness and a stone fruit jam flavor. These cherries are macerated for 15 days in their own marasca juice, then rested for an additional 7 days to maximize flavor. They’re also available in a gift box set. I’m a fan.

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Ingredients: cherries, sugar, glucose-fructose syrup, marasca juice, fruit and vegetable concentrate, citric acid, natural flavoring

Official Site: Hotel Starlino and Starlino Cherries
Instagram: @starlinocherries

Jack Rudy Bourbon Cocktail Cherries

Jack Rudy is mostly known for their line of cocktail syrups and bitters. Their Oregon cherries are preserved in bourbon with stem-on. The sweet vanilla notes are surprisingly strong for not having added vanilla in the ingredients. The cherries are large and maintain a decent body. That said, I’d consider them an overpriced middle-of-the-road option.

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Ingredients: cherries, water, cane sugar, bourbon, citric acid, fruit and vegetable concentrates

Official Site: Jack Rudy
Instagram: @jackrudycocktailco

Luxardo Original Maraschino Cherries

One of the gold standards of cherries, no cocktail enthusiast should be unfamiliar with the iconic Luxardo Maraschino Cherry—if not for the cherry, for the liqueur. These medium cherries are preserved in a thick syrup. They have an excellent flavor and a pleasantly crisp skin when you bite into one. The thick marasca syrup is naturally colored from the cherries. I found them to be one of the sweeter premium maraschino cherries, and they have some berry jam notes. The Luxardo family has a rich history, with Giroloama Luxardo founding the distillery in 1821. Fast forward to the rebirth of the cocktail in 2004, and the cherries finally made it to the U.S. market. Luxardo cherries are a must for any home bar. Also, for what it’s worth, they have a few public Spotify playlists to listen to while you’re hosting or making cocktails.

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Ingredients: cherries, sugar, marasca cherry juice, glucose, citric acid, natural color, maraschino flavor

Official Site: Luxardo
Instagram: @luxardoofficial, @luxardousa

Maraska Maraschino Cocktail Cherries

These medium sized cherries are produced in Croatia by Maraska. They are larger than Amarenas and have a nice body. They are in a very dark thick syrup and have a nice tang to them. There is also a depth of flavor that’s not found in many other cherries. Maraska also produces a delicious pelinkovac (bitter cherry herb liqueur) that I used in my original cocktail, Seasons Change. Highly recommended!

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Ingredients: cherries, sugar, glucose-fructose syrup, water, concentrated Marasca sour cherry fruit juice, concentrated juices of carrot and black currant, citric acid

Official Site: Maraska
Instagram: @maraska_zadar

Peninsula Premium Cocktail Cherries

Peninsula’s cherries have a great flavor and are jarred in a thick syrup. (Note that it’s not just a sugar syrup, the ingredients do contain corn syrup.) I can see why these are consistently the top seller on Amazon—the flavor really is exceptional. That said, they taste more like elderberries (see ingredients) than cherries. The cherries are small to medium sized and have a crisp skin. They aren’t your traditional Amarena or Marasca, but I think they have a place.

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Ingredients: cherries, water, sugar, corn syrup, cherry juice concentrate, elderberry juice concentrate, natural flavoring, vegetable juice concentrate, citric acid

Official Site: Peninsula Premium Cherries
Instagram: @peninsulapremiumcherries

Rex Amarena

I’m not sure why Rex didn’t go with the same branding on their Amarena cherries as their Maraschinos, but that’s besides the point. These amarena cherries are far too sweet for the style. With Amarenas, one would expect the nice balance of sweet and tart, but these Rex Amarena Cherries miss the mark and are super sweet.

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Ingredients: cherries, sugar, glucose fructose syrup, sour cherry juice, fruit and vegetable concentrate, citric acid, sour cherries, natural flavor

Official Site: NA
Instagram: NA

Rex Maraschino

While the packaging design of these cherries leaves a lot to be desired, they aren’t terrible. They reside in that mid-tier of cherries, where nothing exceptional stands out, yet nothing really gives reason to dislike them. At $10 a jar, they are what I’d expect. For the casual, price-sensitive cocktail enthusiasts, perhaps these are a good option.

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Ingredients: cherries, sugar, glucose-fructose syrup, marasca juice concentrate, grape color extract, citric acid, marasca natural flavor

Official Site: NA
Instagram: NA

Royal Harvest Bordeaux Maraschino Cherries

These Royal Harvest cherries are on the mediocre side. They aren’t overly sweet and they have a respectable ingredient list, so that’s a plus. The cherries are stem-on, but many did not maintain their stems during the production process. I’m still not certain what makes them “Bourdeaux style”, but my educated guess is that these are exactly the same as the “red orb” maraschinos, they just aren’t bleached and dyed with red #40.

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Ingredients: cherries, water, cane sugar, fruit and vegetable concentrates, citric acid, natural flavor

Official Site: Pacific Coast Producers
Instagram: @pacificcoastproducers1971

Tillen Farms Bada Bing Cherries

Stonewall Kitchen is a specialty food brand that creates everything from baking mixes to spice rubs, as well as a wide line of cocktail cherries under the Tillen Farms brand. With the exception of their jarred rainier cherries, all of their products I reviewed use Bing cherries. Upon reviewing the ingredients, these Tillen Farms Bada Bing Cherries serve as the base for the bourbon and rum versions. They aren’t a bad cherry, but these are definitely better used in baking than in mixology—just watch out for stems.

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Ingredients: cherries, water, sugar, fruit and vegetable concentrates, citric acid, natural flavor

Official Site: Stonewall Kitchen
Instagram: @stonewallkitchen

Tillen Farms Bourbon Bada Bing Cherries

The vanilla and baking spice really comes through on these cherries. To my surprise, bourbon is listed as an ingredient, but they really don’t taste anything like a cherry. They remind me more of the inexpensive bright red maraschino cherries in texture and blandness. These would be more suitable for a dessert topping than cocktail use.

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Ingredients: cherries, water, sugar, natural flavors, fruit and vegetable concentrate, citric acid, bourbon

Official Site: Stonewall Kitchen
Instagram: @stonewallkitchen

Tillen Farms Fire and Spiced Maraschino Cherries

While these aren’t a personal favorite, I could see them working well in Fall cocktails since they have baking spice notes from being soaked in cinnamon extract. The use of chili extract is interesting, but it doesn’t come through as a peppery spice. As with all the Tillen Farms brands in this review, they taste nothing like a natural cherry and are jarred in a bath of sugar water.

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Ingredients: cherries, water, sugar, fruit and vegetable concentrates, citric acid, natural flavors, chili extract, cinnamon extract

Official Site: Stonewall Kitchen
Instagram: @stonewallkitchen

Tillen Farms Merry Maraschino Cherries

This one is for all those Shirley Temple lovers. This is the no-frills maraschino cherry that tastes like nostalgia. If you really want that mediocre cherry experience, this is the one for you. It’s certainly not a suitable option for cocktails, in my opinion, but I’d consider it the “best of the worst” type of cocktail cherry since the ingredient list isn’t filled with artificial colors and preservatives.

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Ingredients: cherries, water, sugar, lemon juice concentrate, vegetable and fruit juice concentrate, natural flavors

Official Site: Stonewall Kitchen
Instagram: @stonewallkitchen

Tillen Farms Rainier Reserve Cherries

Tillen Farms produces the only Rainer cherries on this list. These cherries are on the sweet side, and I’d consider using them as a garnish primarily based on their color rather than their flavor or uniqueness.

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Ingredients: cherries, water, citric acid, natural flavors, beta carotene

Official Site: Stonewall Kitchen
Instagram: @stonewallkitchen

Tillen Farms Rum Bada Bing Cherries

Just like their Bourbon Bing Cherries, the rum version tastes overwhelmingly of rum. Heavy sweet notes of caramel and vanilla overwhelm what used to be a cherry. These would be more suitable for a dessert topping than cocktail use. I’m staring to think that may be Tillen Farm’s primary goal with their cherries.

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Ingredients: cherries, water, sugar, natural flavors, fruit and vegetable concentrates, citric acid, rum

Official Site: Stonewall Kitchen
Instagram: @stonewallkitchen

Toschi Amarena Black Cherries in Syrup

Despite the visual similarity in packaging, Toschi’s Amarena cherries have no connection to the Fabbri brand. While the Fabbri brand is all about cherries, Toschi is an Italian specialty food provider, much like Stonewall Kitchen in the previously reviewed cherries. Toschi produces all types of jams, vinegars, and syrups. Compared to Fabbri, these cherries are also drastically different in texture. Both have the balance of sweet and tart that you expect from an Amarena, but I found the Toschi to be a little sweeter. The Toschi cherries are some of the smallest reviewed (smaller than Fabbri), and the texture was very firm (almost waxy) throughout the entire cherry, skin and fruit. Personally, I don’t enjoy this as much as the satisfying crisp skin found with some brands.

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Ingredients: cherries, sugar, glucose syrup, water, sour cherry juice, fruit juice, vegetable juice

Official Site: Toschi
Instagram: NA

Traverse City Whiskey Co. Premium Cocktail Cherries

Of all the cherries I reviewed, these surprised me the most. They are the only Balaton variety cherry in this lineup and that’s only part of the reason they stand out. Traverse City’s cocktail cherries are medium-sized and have a nice crispness to them. The Michigan cherries are slow cooked in copper pots to maximize the flavor. I found the cherry-ness to be be pleasantly jam-like. Of all the reviewed cherries that contained some sort of spirit, these ones had the best all-around-flavor. The bourbon adds just enough additional flavor without detracting from the cherries like many of the other brands. It’s also worth noting that the bourbon used has been dealcoholized. Traverse City Cherries are an excellent choice for classic whiskey-based cocktails.

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Ingredients: cherries, water, sugar, black carrot extract, cherry concentrate, natural flavor, dealcoholized bourbon

Official Site: Traverse City Whiskey Co.
Instagram: @tcwhiskey

Woodford Reserve Bourbon Cherries

I found Woodford Reserve’s Bourbon cherries surprisingly underwhelming. The cherries are large in size with a good body, but the flavor comes off as medicinal. The quality of cherry used also seems to be sub-par, and is reminiscent of the Tillen Farms Bourbon Bada Bing cherries in this review.

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Ingredients: cherries, water, sugar, Woodford Reserve Bourbon, fruit and vegetable concentrate, citric acid, malic acid, natural flavor

Official Site: Woodford Reserve
Instagram: @woodfordreserve

Cocktail Cherry Comparison Chart

Please note that for ease of mobile viewing, some columns are hidden on mobile devices. The more relevant columns of cherry brand, rating, price, and variety remain. For the best experience, viewing on a desktop is recommended.

Conclusion

The Best Amarena Cherries: Fabbri, Filthy, Collins

The Best Maraschino Cherries: Luxardo, Maraska, Hotel Starlino (Hotel Starlino Gift Box Set)

The Best Whiskey Cherries: Traverse City

Personal Favorites: Luxardo, Maraska, Hotel Starlino, Fabbri, Traverse City

Bonus: While I didn’t officially include them in this article due to limited availability, Trader Joe’s Amarena Cherries are an excellent choice!

PS – If you appreciate this review, don’t miss my clear ice mold review and Ultimate Tonic Syrup Review.

Additional Resources

Gear

• Metal Cocktail Picks (perfect to garnish your cocktail with a cherry or three)

Cherry Varieties

• Wikipedia – Cherries (more than you ever thought you could learn)
• Amarena
• Balaton
• Bing
• Emperor Francis
• Marasca (the variety from which the tern maraschino is derived)
• Maraschino (refers to process, not variety)
• Royal Ann
• Stardust

Miscellaneous

• Current Top-Selling Cherries on Amazon
• The Ultimate Guide to Cocktail Cherries – Nice and concise article by Kara Newman on the history of cocktail cherries. Recipe included.