The Maraschino effect

Maraschino liqueur is made using Marasca cherries which are red, dark red. For god sake, how the hell do they make it see through?? And the taste, it is cherry, but a bit funny, not exceptionally tasty, and yet there is something unique about it, it has this special depth, something that I've been looking for in cocktails for quite some time.

There was the time that I was bored with most of popular cocktails, they all seemed the same to me. I was looking for something new an ingredient which would round them up. It was until I have tried cocktails with maraschino. I call that period of time my 'Maraschino Phase'. I remember it started when I ordered an Aviation for the first time. I have made them before, it wasn't the first time I've ever tried that drink, but when I ordered it for myself - it stroked me, maraschino flavor was that missing piece of the puzzle. It rounded the drink in a way I was looking for. It gives this great candy like sweetness without taking away the sharp edge of a lemon. Aviation has been on for a while since then.

THE Aviation

50ml Tanqueray

25ml Lemon juice

10ml Cremme de violett

10ml Maraschino liqueur

1 cherry for the garnish 

Right after Gin my typical move is back to whisky and that time wasn't any different. On my NY themed drinking night, I discovered THE Brooklyn. It was another eureka moment in my bartenders life, everyone knows Manhattan, but sadly few of us ever tries Brooklyn. They are quite similar drinks, but the second one has The Maraschino effect which makes it way more exciting. Amer Picon is also a big one here and when you add them up the result is just stunning.

THE Brooklyn

50ml Sazerac Rye

15ml Amer Picon

20ml Noilly Prat

10ml Maraschino liqueur

Orange peel

With time you get a little bored even with as great drinks as Aviation or Brooklyn. I was in this 'open for new' zone and sometimes it takes one man, one drink order to make you fall in love with a cocktail. It was a quiet afternoon and then a guy comes to a bar and orders a Hemingway's, this moment when you look that man in the eyes and you know exactly what he wants is great (it would only be better if that was a 700 instead). Small chat about a THE Hemingway Daiquiri and there I have it, my new favorite for the next of couple of months.

THE Hemingway Daiquiri

50ml Light Rum

10ml Grapefruit juice

20ml Lime Juice 

15ml Maraschino liqueur 

And that is the story of me discovering how to use that funny, tall, straw-covered, green bottle which most of the times just sits on the back bar. It gave me a lot of joy and fun, it is definitely one of those you have to get on your bar if you haven't got it yet.