Maraska - Maraschino, Croatian Liqueur made from Dalmatian Marasca Cherry 70cl

Product Information

Both distillates are blended together with ethanol of agricultural origin, with the constraint that the distillates must represent at least 33% of the total amount of alcohol by volume. And that’s all we can say about this,” my hosts tell me. “There are secrets.” Indeed, they’ve been very protective of their fabrication details. How long does the maceration last? What are the other ingredients in Maraschino? In what proportion? What about the herbs in Pelinkovac, the herbal liqueur? Mum’s the word. Here are a few of my creations, some based on existing recipes where I added a Croatian twist, and some entirely new concoctions, also with a strong Croatian connection: As a point of reference, here are the organoleptic characteristics of Zadar maraschino, as described in its Protected Geographical Indication document:

Taste: Very sweet, mild but again with well-balanced cherry and vegetal flavors. The distillation of the leaves and stems clearly plays an important role. Not your typical cherry liqueur, for sure. Since you may not be able to travel to Croatia this summer, I’ve decided to bring Croatia to you. My last trip to the Dalmatian coast was already a few summers ago, so it’s about time I start writing about it! Let’s get started with… the Maraska distillery.

In the immediate post-war period, the living erstwhile owners of the three most important distilleries, Vittorio Salghetti-Drioli, Giorgio Luxardo, and Romano Vlahov, seek refuge in Italy and rebuild their businesses in Mira (near Venice), Torreglia (near Padua), and Bologna, respectively. They recapture some of their traditional markets, particularly the U.K., but Vlahov ultimately closes its doors in the 1970s, with Drioli following in the 1980s. Today, Luxardo is the last exile still standing (and, according to this article, uses a different strain of Marasca cherry). Our luxury hotel barge holidays include fruit liqueur tastings – experience the world’s finest orange liqueurs for yourself while you gently cruise down the French rivers. If exploring the base behind Grand Marnier appeals, book a boating holiday in the Cognac region. Take a handful of berries to create more fruit liqueurs

Visit Chambord and discover the origins of this classic fruit liqueur for yourself on board one of our luxury barge cruises. Our step by step guide to French liqueurs:

Let’s take Maraschino for instance. Zadar Maraschino benefits from a European Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), which requires producing within the three Dalmatian counties that stretch roughly from Zadar to Makarska, and following a specific production process. The fruits are fermented, macerated in grain alcohol, and distilled in the first room. In parallel, the stems and leaves are macerated and distilled, producing a more bitter and sour spirit. At first, both distillates are poured into separate tanks in the second room. Next, the distillates are blended and remain in storage tanks first to rest (the alcohol content at this stage is around 61-64%), then to wait until demand requires bottling a new batch (e.g., there’s not much demand for souvenir bottles outside of the tourist season). The Maraschino is made once a year, beginning right after the harvest, and the whole process takes about 6 months (including resting time), so the distillate blend waits for additional demand, then the remaining ingredients (such as sugar) are added, and the finished Maraschino heads for bottling. The Maraschino that hits the shelves, then, is between half a year and a year and a half old. Tradition holds that the first recipe for a liqueur made with Marasca cherries dates from the 16th century. The spirit, called ros solis, is produced by Dominican monks and used mainly as a medicine. So what’s number two in sales? Vodka, of course! Who needs tradition when one can just mix grain alcohol with tap water?! Like in Russia, Maraska doesn’t distill grain alcohol themselves, they buy it. With around 800,000 liters sold per year (still in 2017) Maraska’s Cosmopolitan vodka is also the second best-selling vodka on the Croatian market behind Badel’s Vigor vodka. Sales grow every year, and Maraska wants to be number one! “Our vodka is pure grain, distilled 7 times,” sings my host from the marketing department. It’s also offered in several flavors: raspberry, peach, mint, mojito, and strong (with an extra dose of grain alcohol for an inimitable bouquet). No cherry. The flavored vodkas are made with natural aromas (for the fruits, typically esters made from condensing the volatiles during the concentration process of juice), so they still have a connection with the fruit or plant with which they’re scented (except for mojito, duh). They tend to sell in very small amounts, their main purpose being to occupy more shelf space with the brand, thereby helping to sell more of the main, unflavored product. Unsurprisingly, this combination gives the orange liqueur vanilla and oak overtones, both in taste and scent, to remind you of its origins. Grand Marnier also tastes heavier than Cointreau as the brandy adds ‘weight’ to the drink’s texture. Although it has the same 40% strength. How to drink Grand Marnier The red fruit (unstoned to add to flavour) is fermented in oak barrels before sugar and alcohol complete the recipe. It tastes sweet and rich, and you’ll notice distinct almond undertones both in the bouquet and on the palate. These come from the stones. How to drink Guignolet