Maraschino

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Maraschino (pronounced as in Italian: mare-uh-SKEE-no, IPA: /maraˈskino/) is a bittersweet, clear liqueur flavored with Marasca cherries, which are grown in Torreglia (near Padua in Northern Italy), around the Dalmatian city of Zadar in Croatia. It is one of the very few liqueurs in the world produced by distillation.

The liqueur's distinctive flavor comes from the Marasca cherry, and the crushed cherry pits lend an almond-like flavor to Maraschino. Honey is also part of the ancient recipe. The distillate is allowed to mature for two years in Finnish ash vats (this wood does not lend its colour even after many years of maturing), and is then diluted and sugared. It is typically bottled in a straw-coated bottle.

The liqueur has been made sinced the Middle Ages in Zara (as it was named Zadar until 1945). It was a typical product of the Italian Dalmatia. After the destruction of the city of Zara in the Second World War, the original factories were closed or they moved to Italy.

Although Maraschino cherries are traditionally preserved in maraschino liqueur, today most maraschino cherries are made using artificial ingredients and are non-alcoholic.