Modern Maraschino | LUXARDO USA

200 Years. Still Original

1/1

The Modern Maraschino

Crafted over 200 years ago, Luxardo Maraschino Originale was a centerpiece in the creation of cocktails as we know them. Its bold herbal, nutty, and floral flavors helped provide a backbone to many classic cocktails—and those flavors ring truer now than ever. This Modern Maraschino hub showcases Maraschino Originale not just as a classic ingredient, but as one that continues to shape the next generation of cocktails. Explore below for a range of elevated yet simple Maraschino cocktails.

200 Years. Still Original.

Classic Spirit. Contemporary Cocktails.

See how cocktail enthusiasts and industry professionals are reinventing the timeless Luxardo Maraschino Originale Liqueur.

Jonathan Adler has spent years working in nearly every corner of hospitality. He trained as a chef, cooked in fine-dining kitchens, honed wine skills as a sommelier, and eventually landed behind the bar, where all of those disciplines finally converged: he is currently the beverage director at a high-end cocktail bar in New York City. His layered background shapes the way he thinks about cocktails, and how some ingredients can be underestimated.

Luxardo Maraschino Originale is one of them. Frequently treated as a background modifier, the liqueur is usually measured in drops rather than ounces. Adler takes the opposite approach. By understanding its stone fruit character, restrained sweetness, and herbaceous and floral notes, he uses Luxardo Maraschino Originale as a structural ingredient, building cocktails around it instead of quietly supporting it.

With three original recipes, Adler shows how Maraschino Originale can anchor everything from a refreshing highball to a smoky stirred cocktail to a balanced sour.

Cherry Chu Hi

Cocktail 1

Ingredients

½ ounce Luxardo Maraschino Originale
¼ ounce Luxardo Sangue Morlacco
½ ounce barley shochu
½ ounce vodka
1 dash absinthe
2 dashes saline solution
Soda water

Directions

Combine all ingredients except soda in a chilled highball glass filled with ice and stir briefly to chill.
Top with soda water and gently agitate to combine.

Oaxacan New Fashioned

Cocktail 2

Ingredients

½ oz Luxardo Maraschino Originale
¼ oz Crème de cacao
1 ½ oz Reposado tequila
½ oz Mezcal
2 dashes aromatic bitters

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir for about 20 seconds.
Strain into a rocks glass over one large ice cube.

Shun

Cocktail 3

Ingredients

¾ oz Luxardo Maraschino Originale
¾ oz Pedro Ximénez sherry
1 ½ oz Japanese whisky
¾ oz lemon juice
6 drops saline solution

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a shaker tin with ice and shake vigorously for about 12 seconds.
Double strain into a chilled coupe glass.

ALDER'S TIPS FOR USING LUXARDO MARASCHINO AT HOME

Adler’s biggest advice for home bartenders is to measure carefully and think beyond sweetness.

“Maraschino Originale is powerful, so a little goes a long way,” he says. “But it can replace other ingredients, not just support them, especially when you’re thinking about stone fruit flavors.”

He also stresses technique. Cold glassware, good ice, and controlled dilution make a huge difference, particularly in cocktails that rely on balance rather than sugar or citrus to carry them.

Used thoughtfully, Luxardo Maraschino Originale doesn’t just sit in the background. As these three cocktails show, it can shape a drink from start to finish, whether that drink is light and bubbly, dark and smoky, or somewhere in between.

Screen Shot 2023-08-10 at 11.37.07 AM.png

@asliceopi

Screen Shot 2023-08-10 at 11.32.32 AM.png

@diningwithcourt

Screen Shot 2023-08-10 at 11.28.43 AM.png

@talliia

Screen Shot 2023-08-10 at 11.29.07 AM.png

@thecreativegentleman

Screen Shot 2023-08-10 at 11.29.32 AM.png

@chloecooks___

Drinks:

"The best rule of thumb for making the ultimate #SpritzYourWay recipe is to always remember: 3, 2, 1."

3 parts prosecco
2 parts Luxardo Liqueur

1 part soda water

@asliceopi

Hosting:

3 Tablescape Necessities for the Perfect Aperitivo Hour!

Glassware + Dishware

First and foremost, bring together your favorite glasses and dishware to curate a pretty table. I prefer vintage pieces for an eclectic, effortless feel.

Greenery + Flowers

Reach for a colorful arrangement, neutral flowers, or simple greenery and know that any of these additions bring life to your table. I love to gather greenery from outside and place it under serveware and plates; it’s always a thoughtful touch for added ambiance.

Music

Music sets the tone for any occasion, so choose wisely. Have a speaker and playlist prepared, cater to your crowd, and give them a reason to smile.

@talliia

Food:

"An aperitivo hour, in my opinion, should be unfussy, easy, and shouldn’t involve a lot of cooking. It should be pantry items like olives, tin fish, chips, crackers, etc., that can be tossed in a bowl or a platter. In the summer, it should be peak produce that shines even on its own. So— I’m giving you three (3!!) of my favorite, peak summer, aperitivo hour snacks, to hopefully inspire your own."

Get the recipes

@diningwithcourt

Timeless Luxardo Maraschino Cocktails

The Last Word

A perfectly balanced, herbaceous cocktail where gin, Luxardo Del Santo herbal liqueur, Luxardo Maraschino Originale, and fresh lime come together in a bright, complex sip.

¾ oz Luxardo London Dry Gin

¾ oz Luxardo Maraschino Originale

¾ oz Luxardo Del Santo

¾ oz Fresh lime juice

Luxardo Maraschino Cherry for garnish

Add all liquid ingredients to a shaker filled with cracked ice. Shake well until chilled, then strain into a coupe glass (a Nick and Nora glass works great here as well). Garnish with a lime twist and Luxardo Maraschino cherry.

Fancy Free

A refined Old Fashioned variation where rye whiskey is brightened by Luxardo Maraschino Originale, adding subtle cherry sweetness and a touch of elegant complexity.

2 oz Rye whiskey

½ oz Luxardo Maraschino Originale

2 Dashes of aromatic bitters

1 Dash orange bitters

Luxardo Maraschino Cherry and an orange peel for garnish.

Add Luxardo Maraschino Originale, rye whiskey, bitters, and ice to a mixing glass. Stir until well chilled. Strain over a large ice cube and garnish with an orange twist.

Sour Cherry Martinez

A rich, cherry-forward twist on the classic, where Luxardo Maraschino Originale and sour cherry gin meet vermouth for a smooth, subtly tart, and elegantly layered sip.

1 ½ oz Luxardo Sour Cherry Gin

¼ oz Luxardo Maraschino Originale

1 ½ oz Sweet vermouth

2 Dashes of aromatic bitters

Luxardo Maraschino Cherry and an orange peel for garnish.

Add Luxardo Sour Cherry Gin, Luxardo Maraschino Originale, sweet vermouth, and two dashes of bitters to a beaker filled with ice, then stir until chilled. Strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with an orange peel twist and a Luxardo Maraschino Cherry.

Hemingway Daiquiri

A bright, citrusy twist on the classic daiquiri, balancing rum with grapefruit, lime, and a touch of Maraschino Originale for a crisp, slightly tart finish.

½ oz Luxardo Maraschino Originale

1 ½ oz White rum

¾ oz Fresh lime juice

½ Fresh grapefruit juice

Luxardo Maraschino Cherry and lime wheel for garnish..

Add liquid ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake until chilled, then strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a lime slice and a Luxardo Maraschino Cherry.

Maraschino & Tonic

A light, refreshing highball that pairs Luxardo Maraschino Originale with crisp tonic water, creating a bright balance of delicate cherry, subtle bitterness, and effervescent lift.

1½ oz Luxardo Maraschino Originale

4–5 oz Premium tonic water

Lime wheel for garnish

Fill a highball glass with ice. Add Luxardo Maraschino Originale and top with tonic water. Gently stir and garnish with a lime wheel.

Aviation

A floral, citrus-forward classic where gin, maraschino, and lemon are lifted by a hint of violet for a light, aromatic finish.

2 ½ oz Luxardo London Dry Gin

2 tsp Luxardo Maraschino Originale

¾ oz Fresh lemon juice

1 Bar spoon crème de violette

Luxardo Maraschino Cherry for garnish

Combine all ingredients except garnish in a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake well, then double-strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with Luxardo Maraschino Cherry.

@verygooddrinks

@highproofpreacher

@moresavorygoods

Recipe

½ oz Luxardo Maraschino Originale
1½ oz Rum
½ oz Fresh lime juice
6g Granulated sugar (1.5 tsp)
55g Frozen grapefruit segments (~5 pieces)
150g Crushed ice
Lil pinch of MSG

@verygooddrinks

Hemingway Slush

"Nearly 10 years ago, I scrounged up my barbacking tips and bought my first bottle of Luxardo Maraschino liqueur. I was teaching myself the craft of bartending & wanted to try my hand at a “Last Word”. Did I shake that “Last Word” in a purple coffee thermos? Yes. Was it awesome? Also yes."

"Into a tall container, safe for immersion blending, add all ingredients, taking care to add frozen grapefruit & ice last, just before blending. Immersion blend on high until the drink is just fully blended. Serve in a chilled 9 oz rocks glass, w/ a maraschino cherry syrup swirl. Garnish w/ fresh grapefruit segment & maraschino cherry."

Recipe

½ oz Luxardo Del Santo

½ oz Luxardo Maraschino Originale

1½ oz Tequila blanco

¾ oz Fresh lime juice

1 tsp Rich cane syrup

4 Dashes celery bitters
Luxardo Maraschino Cherry for garnish

@highproofpreacher

Long Memory

"The Last Word might be one of the most riffed cocktails in modern bartending. There are a ton of different versions out there with various ingredients subbed in and out. But one of the tried and true ingredient that has always made it work has been the Maraschino Originale. Herbaceous, floral, and complex in a way most people don't expect. It's been doing that for 200 years and it’s by no means an old dusty bottle. This is The Long Memory."

"Shake hard. Double strain over a clear cube. Luxardo cherry garnish."

Recipe

½ oz Luxardo Maraschino Originale

2 oz Cacao butter washed whiskey

2–3 Dashes orange bitters

Luxardo Maraschino Cherry for garnish

@moresavorygoods

Cacao Fancy Free

“Had the chance to partner with @luxardousa Maraschino Originale! One of those bottles that has been essential in a lot of classic and modern cocktails for the subtle cherry + nutty notes it adds that just rounds drinks out.. Especially with the OG Fancy Free of the 40s and this inspired modern riff… The Cacao Fancy Free.”

Cacao Butter Washed Whisky:

300 ml whisky

30 g cacao butter

Sous vide 52°C for 1 hour

Freeze overnight, then strain

verygooddrinks

HighProofPreacher

Moresavorygoods

Follow Luxardo

.pro-gallery-wix-wrapper {display: block !important;} .pro-gallery-wix-wrapper .gallery-item-container {opacity: 1 !important; display: block !important;}

Buy luxardo bottles here!

​