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%. Both distillates are blended together with ethanol of agricultural origin, with the constraint that the distillates must represent at least 33% of the total amount of alcohol by volume. An intense cherry fragrance on the palate, with the almond coming through at the end. On The Palate Taste: Very sweet (though maybe less so than Maraska), a mix of tree branch and denatured alcohol, yet not totally unpleasant. I don’t really taste cherry; I wouldn’t have guessed it’s a cherry liqueur. A bit of an acquired taste. Tradition holds that the first recipe for a liqueur made with Marasca cherries dates from the 16th century. The spirit, called ros solis, is produced by Dominican monks and used mainly as a medicine.

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. The other quintessentially French orange liqueur also comes in an unmistakable bottle, although this one’s round. But like Cointreau, it carries a ribbon (red) and wax seal. Grand Marnier also turns out to be more or less contemporary with Cointreau since its recipe was perfected in 1880 in Neauphle-le-Chateau, just outside Paris.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. The name marasca is derived from the Italian word amarasca and is related to the Italian term amaro, which translates to "bitter". And indeed, besides being smaller and a lot darker than other cherries, the marasca is very bitter. That characteristic makes them a perfect base for a liqueur, as they won't make the end product overly sweet. The taste of Maraschino Liqueur It requires much more work and patience to prepare a homemade ratafia which in Abruzzo is a tradition as much as limoncello is in Campania. Ratafia: Anna Iannetti's recipe 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

Leopold’s Michigan Tart Cherry Liqueur is made from rare Montmorency cherries. These cherries offer a perfect balance between tartness and sweetness. 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 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 Guignolet As a point of reference, here are the organoleptic characteristics of Zadar maraschino, as described in its Protected Geographical Indication document: 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.Cherry liqueurs have been around since the 16th century and have been enjoyed by everyone from kings to peasants. The best cherry brandy liqueurs are rich with fruity tart flavours of cherry, the perfect balance of sweet and sour. Nose: Less pronounced than in the other two maraschinos, a pleasant combination of cherry and vegetal notes. True to the characteristics mandated by the PGI. 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. But in reality, there are fewer secrets than my hosts claim. To obtain a Protected Geographical Indication for Zadarski Maraschino, the Croatian Ministry of Agriculture had to describe not only the geographical area of production and the specificity of the final product, but also the method of production. And the application is available online here. This may not provide the entirety of Maraska’s treasured recipe, but it gives us plenty of details – and considering that Maraska is the only large producer of Zadar Maraschino, chances are they played a significant role in drafting this application!

Maraska, with a but. This is the only maraschino I tasted that perfectly combines the smell and flavor of both cherries and cherry leaves. You could say that since the other competing maraschinos don’t have the Zadar maraschino PGI, they don’t need to have the same flavor profile. Still, since maraschino was indeed invented in Zadar, I consider the blend of cherry and leaf distillates as one of the liqueur’s defining principles. My “but” with the Maraska maraschino, however, is the excessive use of grain alcohol. You immediately notice that its aroma is more muted than in undiluted maraschinos. I understand that it makes Maraska cheaper to produce, but considering that nowadays the product brings more prestige than direct revenue, I don’t see the point of cutting costs. At the very least, why not make a deluxe version containing no grain alcohol at all? 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. A taste of the Mediterranean with a distinctive red colour and a small percentage of alcohol. Try on its own or pour over a fruit salad and ice cream - this is simply delicious! The perfect welcome drink, excellent served with or without ice.

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. The other fruits are bought mostly in Croatia, or in neighboring markets when the domestic production isn’t enough. Whenever possible, that is. Certainly the Balkans don’t grow pineapples, and Central Europe even less so… 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). However, the number of brands joining the market grows constantly, and there is quite some worthy competition. All have their own recipe with an individual set of ingredients, so you might want to try some of these to find your favorite:

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). 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: Since you may not be able to travel to Croatia this summer, I’ve decided to bring Croatia to you. My last trip to the Dalmatian coast was already a few summers ago, so it’s about time I start writing about it! Let’s get started with… the Maraska distillery.

Taste: The typical distinctive taste of Marasca cherry, which is characterized by sour-sweet notes and a slight bitterness. The B52 also counts as one of the most famous and original – its three bands of coffee liqueur, Irish cream and Grand Marnier certainly stand out on the bar counter