Forget those neon-red, almond-scented plastic baubles you find in a cheap sundae. You know the ones. They taste like Shirley Temple syrup and chemical preservatives. If that is what you think of when someone says "maraschino," honestly, you’ve been lied to. Real maraschino cherries from Italy are a completely different species of fruit—both literally and figuratively. They are dark. They are dense. They are swimming in a thick, mahogany syrup that tastes more like a complex balsamic reduction than a candy shop floor.
It's kinda wild how a single fruit became the mascot for "fake" food in America while remaining a prestigious, artisanal staple in Europe.
The story starts in Zadar, on the Dalmatian coast, which was once part of the Venetian Republic. This is where the Marasca cherry (Prunus cerasus var. marasca) grows. These aren't your typical Bing or Rainier cherries. They are small, sour, and slightly bitter. Back in the day, people preserved them in a liqueur distilled from the fruit’s own pits, skins, and pulp. That liqueur was Maraschino. The fruit was the prize. When the Luxardo family started commercializing this in 1821, they weren't trying to make a cocktail garnish; they were perfecting a Mediterranean tradition.
The Identity Crisis of the Modern Cherry
Most people don't realize that the bright red "maraschino" in the grocery store is basically a ghost. During Prohibition in the United States, the traditional Italian method—which involved alcohol—became a legal nightmare. American manufacturers had to pivot. They took regular sweet cherries, bleached them in a brine of sulfur dioxide and calcium chloride until they were a ghostly, yellowish-white, and then dyed them with Red 40.
They replaced the complex Maraschino liqueur with high-fructose corn syrup and almond extract.
Genuine maraschino cherries from Italy never went through that "Frankenstein" phase. If you open a jar of Luxardo or Fabbri today, you aren't looking at a bleached fruit. You are looking at a Marasca cherry that has been candied in a proprietary syrup. It stays dark because that’s the natural color of the fruit once it’s cooked down. No dyes. No bleach. Just heat, sugar, and time.
It is expensive. A small jar might set you back $20 or $30. Is it worth it? If you’re making a Manhattan or an Old Fashioned, absolutely. A cheap cherry ruins a $60 bottle of rye. A real Italian cherry elevates it.
Why the Marasca Variety Is Different
You can't just take a cherry from Washington state and turn it into a Maraschino. Not really. The Marasca cherry is tiny. It has a high acidity that balances out the intense sweetness of the candying process.
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Girolamo Luxardo moved to Zara (now Zadar, Croatia) in the early 19th century. His wife, Maria Sabina, started making "Rosolio Maraschino" at home. This was the spark. By the time the family moved their operations to Torreglia, Italy, following the devastation of World War II, the Marasca cherry had become a protected part of their heritage. They actually own massive orchards in the Veneto region today, where they grow over 30,000 trees.
The process is slow.
- The cherries are harvested in the summer.
- They are infusions of the fruit in larch wood vats.
- The syrup is adjusted for density without losing the fruit's structural integrity.
When you bite into one, it’s crunchy. That’s the hallmark of a high-quality maraschino cherry from Italy. It shouldn't be mushy. It should have a "snap" that gives way to a savory, deep fruit flavor.
Fabbri vs. Luxardo: The Great Italian Debate
If you walk into a high-end deli, you’re going to see two main contenders. You’ve got the Luxardo jars with the green labels and the straw-matted bottles. Then you’ve got the iconic blue-and-white ceramic-style jars from Fabbri.
They aren't the same.
Fabbri 1905 uses "Amarena" cherries. While often lumped into the maraschino category by casual shoppers, Amarena is technically a wild dark cherry grown in the Emilia-Romagna region. Their syrup is a bit more floral, maybe a little more liquid. Luxardo is the "original" Maraschino—thicker syrup, almost honey-like, with a flavor profile that leans into the pits of the cherry, giving it a subtle, natural nuttiness without the fake almond chemicals.
Honestly, choosing between them is like choosing between a Ferrari and a Lamborghini. One is a bit more refined and traditional; the other is bold and punchy. Both make the American grocery store versions look like a joke.
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How to Spot a Fake
- Check the ingredients. If you see "Red 40" or "Blue 1," put it back. Real Italian cherries get their color from the fruit itself.
- Look at the syrup. It should be thick enough to coat a spoon. If it looks like red water, it’s not the real deal.
- The Pit Factor. Authentic Maraschino liqueur (the base for the syrup) is made using the crushed pits of the cherries, which provides a natural cyanide-free amaretto flavor. If it tastes like "fake cherry candy," it’s probably just flavored sugar water.
The Economics of a $25 Jar of Fruit
I get it. Paying the price of a full steak dinner for a jar of cherries feels insane. But you have to look at the labor. Harvesting Marasca cherries is a nightmare compared to commercial sweet cherries. They are smaller, meaning you need more of them to fill a jar. They are fragile.
And then there is the aging.
The syrup isn't just sugar and water thrown in a blender. It’s a reduction. The Luxardo family, for instance, still uses a recipe that hasn't changed much in two centuries. You are paying for 200 years of agricultural refinement. Plus, because they are so rich, you only use one. A single jar of maraschino cherries from Italy can last a casual cocktail drinker six months or more in the fridge.
They don't really spoil quickly because the sugar content is so high it acts as a natural preservative.
Beyond the Cocktail: Real World Uses
Don't just bury these in booze. That’s a rookie move.
The syrup in these jars is liquid gold. Drizzle it over high-quality vanilla bean gelato. The contrast between the cold, white cream and the dark, tart syrup is life-changing. I’ve seen pastry chefs use the chopped-up cherries in panettone or folded into a dense chocolate torte.
There is a savory side, too. A tiny bit of the Maraschino syrup whisked into a red wine reduction for duck breast? It adds a layer of complexity that sugar alone can't touch. It’s that bitter-sour-sweet trifecta that the Marasca cherry excels at.
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What Most People Get Wrong About Storage
People ask me all the time: "Do I need to refrigerate these?"
Technically, the high sugar concentration makes them shelf-stable even after opening, but most experts (and the labels) suggest a cool, dark place or the fridge to maintain the "snap" of the fruit. If you leave them on a warm counter, the cherries can sometimes soften. You want that crunch.
Also, never, ever throw away the syrup. Even if you finish the cherries, that syrup is the best sweetener you will ever have for a whiskey sour or even just a fancy soda water.
Moving Toward a Better Garnish
The "maraschino" has suffered a massive PR failure over the last century. It went from a luxury item for royalty to a neon garnish for kids' drinks. But the tide is turning. As the craft cocktail movement continues to dominate, people are realizing that ingredients matter.
You spend $50 on a bottle of Bourbon. You spend $5 on a giant clear ice cube mold. You spend $15 on organic bitters. Why would you finish it with a 5-cent wax cherry?
Your Next Steps for a Better Experience
If you want to move away from the fake stuff and experience maraschino cherries from Italy properly, do this:
- Start with Luxardo. It is the industry standard for a reason. It is the most "accurate" representation of what a Maraschino cherry was meant to be in the 1800s.
- Compare it to Fabbri. Buy the small jars of both. Taste them side-by-side. Notice how the Fabbri Amarena is slightly more tart and "bright," while the Luxardo is "dark" and earthy.
- Use the 1:1 Rule. One cherry per drink. Don't crowd the glass. Let the syrup that clings to the cherry naturally integrate into the last few sips of your cocktail.
- Check the Label. Always look for "Product of Italy" and the "Marasca" variety name. If it says "Maraschino Style," it’s an imitation.
Real Italian cherries aren't just a garnish; they are a preserved piece of Mediterranean history. Once you have the real thing, there is no going back to the neon red jars. Your palate will thank you, even if your wallet stings a little at the checkout counter.