Maraschino is a colorless dry fruit liqueur made from marasca cherries including their pits for a bitter almond flavor. It originated in the Austrian Empire and has an alcohol content of 32%.
How it is made
Maraschino is made from marasca cherries crushed with their pits to give the liqueur a bitter almond taste. The process is similar to cognac making, but sugar syrup is added. After aging for at least three years, the liqueur is filtered.
History
The first production of maraschino began in 1821 in Zadar, Croatia. Eight years later, the owner Girolamo Luxardo received a monopoly to produce this liqueur. After World War II, when Zadar became part of Yugoslavia, Luxardo's descendants established a new production plant near Padua.
Types and styles
There are two main types: Luxardo Maraschino produced near Padua and Original Maraskino from Zadar. Unlike other fruit liqueurs, maraschino production does not use fruit juice or fruit extracts.
How it is served
Maraschino is used in desserts, ice cream, and to flavor fruit salads. It is also an ingredient in cocktails such as Aviation, Casino, Hemingway Special, Mary Pickford, Last Word, Martinez, and others.
Adapted from the Russian Wikipedia article Мараскин, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.