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Maraschino is a common name for colorless liqueurs with an almond flavor made from maraschino cherries. The name is not a registered trademark and is not protected on a regional basis, which means that the inscription “Maraschino” can be used by any manufacturer regardless of the country. Made according to the classical technology, the liquor has a strength of 32 degrees (sometimes a little less) and is produced mainly in Italy, although the birthplace of the drink is the Croatian city of Zadar.
Maraschino cherry is a Balkan variety of berries with a specific tart-bitter taste that grows only on the Adriatic coast. Distinctive features of the species are small fruits, dryish flesh and a bitter taste. The name “Marasca” comes from the Latin root amarus (“bitter”) and is a perfect description of the berry itself and the liquor made from it.
History
The oldest surviving Maraschino recipe dates back to the 1759th century. At that time, Dominican monks made a fragrant drink from maraschino cherries. The first industrial manufacturer was the Venetian merchant Francesco Drioli, who opened a small factory in XNUMX in the city of Zara (the old name of Zadar), the capital of the Balkan region of Dalmatia, at that time it was the territory of the Venetian Republic. By the end of the XNUMXth century, Maraschino liqueur became popular throughout Europe, especially in England.
As early as 1779, advertisements appeared in the London press urging British aristocrats to taste the imported Maraschino liqueur from Zara. Especially advertising praised the delicate and refined taste. The exotic drink enjoyed the love and patronage of the noblest nobility, including the royal house of Britain. The downside of this success was the increased number of forgeries and related litigation, legal proceedings continued for many years, even after the closure of the Francesco Drioli factory in 1980.
Maraschino was traditionally bottled in greenish Murano glass with a straw braid: such containers easily endured long sea voyages, retained the aroma and taste of the drink.
The Drioli factory in Zara was the first, but not the only one: after the success of Don Francesco, the enterprises of Girolamo Luxardo (1821), Romano Vlakhov (1861) opened in the same city.
The end of the “golden age” was the Second World War, when many members of the Luxardo family died, and the city was ceded to Yugoslavia. The trio of manufacturers fled to Italy and there, split up, tried to revive the business in the places of Mira (near Venice), Torrelia (near Padua) and Bologna.
Already by 1946, Vittorio Drioli returned the brand to its former glory and popularity. The manufacturer managed to find a middle ground between following centuries-old traditions and the modernization needed by post-war Europe. Vittorio was Francesco’s last direct heir, and after his death in 1980, the company ceased to exist, and the Luxardo plant became the main manufacturer (the brand is primarily known for its sambuca).
Maraschino production technology
The “visiting card” of Maraschino is a delicate, recognizable taste with a slight almond tinge due not only to the cherry variety, but also to the peculiarities of the production of liquor. First, the distillate of berries (pure cherry moonshine without sugar) insists on pressed cherry stones of the same variety for several months. The result is a slight bitterness. Then for three years the drink is aged in ash barrels, which softens the taste.
If everything is done correctly, you will get a strong (32%), colorless liquor – ash wood contains a minimum of tannins, therefore it does not change the color of the distillate. Production standards prohibit the addition of fruit essences or juices to the finished Maraschino, but allow the addition of a small amount of sugar syrup. Still, the drink is positioned as a liquor, and should be at least a little sweet.
Top manufacturers
The most famous and expensive brand is Luxardo Maraschino, this brand accounts for up to 85% of the world market. Next comes Maraska Maraschino – production is still in Croatia. The top three popular brands are completed by Lazzaroni Maraschino – a product of an Italian manufacturer, slightly less strong than its counterparts (only 25 degrees).
How to drink maraschino
Maraschino is rarely drunk in its pure form, so it is difficult to talk about some special culture of consumption. Much more often, a couple of drops of liquor are added to coffee or used as an ingredient in cocktails. Maraschino is also used for gastronomic purposes: for pastries, sauces, salad dressings.
Maraschino cocktails
No solid bar can be truly stocked without this cherry liqueur.
Popular recipes:
- “Aviation”: mix in a shaker 2.5 parts of lemon juice, 3.5 parts of dry gin, one part of “Maraschino” and sugar syrup. Pour into a serving glass.
- Honolulu: 2 part Maraschino, XNUMX part Amaretto, and XNUMX parts gin, mix in a shaker and serve over ice.
- “Last word”: in a serving glass, mix equal parts of gin, green French liqueur Chartreuse, Maraschino and lemon juice, add crushed ice.
