Cocktail Class – Marvelous Maraschino

Not to be confused with the neon colored ice cream toppings, Maraschino (pronounced Ma-rah-skee-no) is a traditional liqueur flavored with marasca cherries. It has a distinct flavor, because it is not just the flesh of the cherries that lend flavor to the elixir but the pits, skins, stems, and even leaves. In the main brand, Luxardo, it is known for its iconic, green-minted, straw-wrapped bottle. It is at once an essential ingredient and a tempermental cocktail component. In small amounts, it can transform a cocktail from banal to extraordinary, but even a smidge too much can render your drink a syrupy mess. It is truly one of the most delicious and fascinating bottles for any bartender’s cabinet.

In this class, Nick Wheeler will lead you on an exploration of this marvelous ingredient. From its most classic cocktail applications to modern drinks crafted with this revered liqueur, expect to taste beautifully balanced drinks. Learn how Maraschino functions in cocktails and why it is both so useful and so tricky to use effectively. Most of all, expect to be enchanted by this odd little liqueur.