“Maraschino cherries use a candying process with Marasca cherry juice for preservation. This syrup is sweet and tart with a nice richness, which translates well into cocktails,” explains Justin Ware of Houston’s Johnny’s Gold Brick. Ware suggests using the leftover syrup to make a straightforward cherry spirit, a sort of fast track to Cherry Bounce, a Colonial-era cherry-infused spirit. “The syrup adds sweetness, tartness and brings the overall ABV down. For that reason,” explains Ware, “I recommend starting with something 100 proof and adding approximately 20 percent juice to bring your ABV to about 80 proof.”
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