The Old Fashioned is a classic cocktail that never goes out of style.
A classic Old Fashioned contains a mixture of bitters and sugar syrup, giving you the perfect combination of sweet and sour to make a refreshing cocktail.
If you are a lover of whisky, then trying an Old Fashioned will further make you fall in love with this refreshing and versatile beverage.
Garnish is extremely important when making a cocktail, and an Old Fashioned is no different.
Cocktail garnish helps to bring out the flavors of the drink and make them more distinguished, tying the flavors together so that you can experience a great-tasting, refreshing drink.
An Old Fashioned is typically garnished with orange peel for a refreshing twist, but an important element that you always find on the surface of an Old Fashioned is cherries.
When you garnish your Old Fashioned cocktail with cherries, the sweetness of the cherries helps to counteract the bitters and bourbon so that you can have elements of sweet and sour.
This allows you to have the perfect combination of flavors in your drink as the elements blend together to create the perfect flavor that isn’t too sweet or too bitter.
If you aren’t craving an Old Fashioned already, that’s because you haven’t got the right cherries to add to it.
Garnish may seem like a small aspect of the cocktail, but it actually gives it lots of flavor and balance.
By choosing the right cherries for your Old Fashioned, you will enjoy your drink a lot more and find yourself a beautifully balanced drink.
Here are the best cherries for an old fashioned that will perfectly balance your drink and create beautiful flavors for you to experience the authentic taste of an Old Fashioned.
Our Best Cherries For An Old Fashioned Reviews
Peninsula Premium Cocktail Cherries
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These cherries from Peninsula Premium are perfect to use in an Old Fashioned.
The cherries are a deep red color that emphasizes their richness and sweetness, and they are coated in a sweet syrup that tastes luxuriously smooth and nutty.
There are no artificial colors or flavorings so these cherries are 100% natural so that you can experience authentic cherry taste and flavors.
Peninsula Premium’s cherries are sourced from Michigan’s Lower Peninsula which is said to be an ideal area for cherries to grow to perfection.
There are 30 servings in the jar but depending on how many cherries you like to use in your garnish, the servings could be more or less.
The cherries are harvested fresh and have undertones of elderberry due to their natural flavoring.
Pros
- Deep red/burgundy color
- Natural sweetness and flavor
- Coated in a sweet, luxurious syrup
- Sourced from Michigan’s Lower Peninsula region
- 30 servings in the jar
- Harvested fresh
- Elderberry undertones
Cons
- The syrup may add too much sweetness to the cocktail due to its richness
Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. Bourbon Cocktail Cherries
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These cocktail cherries from Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. are sourced from Oregon and preserved in Kentucky bourbon that is made using 100% natural American ingredients.
The cherries do not contain any artificial flavors or preservatives as the colors come from natural fruit and vegetables so there are no artificial tastes that will affect the taste of the Old Fashioned.
As the cherries are already preserved in bourbon, they make an excellent accompaniment to whisky-based cocktails.
The bourbon syrup gives a sweet taste that adds that extra flavoring to your cocktail before adding it to the drink.
You are able to enjoy the cherries straight out of the jar if you can’t wait to make your cocktail as they aren’t too overpowering to take over any distinguished flavors.
Pros
- Sourced in Oregon and preserved in Kentucky bourbon so they are 100% American ingredients
- Does not contain any artificial flavors or preservatives
- Natural flavors and colors
- A great accompaniment to whisky-based cocktails
- Strong flavor but not too overpowering to take over the cocktail flavors
Cons
- As the cherries are already soaked in bourbon, they might be too strong for some cocktail drinkers
Fabbri Amarena Wild Cherries in Syrup
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Fabbri Amarena cherries have an extremely distinct taste as they are produced in Bologna in Italy. The cherries are gluten-free, lactose-free, vegan, and non-GMO.
They are completely natural so that you can experience an authentic Italian cherry taste in your drinks. Fabbri Amarena cherries are distinctively balanced between sweetness and tartness that greatly complements the flavors of your drinks.
You are able to use the cherries to top desserts or gelato so you are not just limited to using them for cocktail garnish.
However, these cherries do complement an old fashioned with their sweet syrup sourced from wild cherries.
There are around 11 servings per jar and the jar would definitely fit into dinner parties as it is beautifully decorated and not too big or heavy.
Pros
- Distinctive Italian taste
- Gluten-free
- Lactose-free
- Vegan
- Non-GMO
- 100% natural
- Have a balanced sweet and tart taste
- You can use the cherries on top of desserts
- Sourced from wild cherries for a sweeter and stronger flavor
- Beautifully decorated jar
Cons
- Only 11 servings per jar
Collins Bordeaux Stemmed Cherries
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The cocktail cherries from Collins are rich, juicy, and add a beautiful sweetness to your cocktail.
The cherries are a deep purple color and are incredibly juicy and flavorful so that you’re tastebuds experience only the best from these cherries.
The cherries are preserved in a rich syrup that is full of sweet and fresh flavors that nicely bring out the whisky and bitters in the drink.
There are roughly 16 servings per jar and the cherries are low-calorie as there are around 10 calories per serving.
The rich and juicy Collins cherries are perfect for whisky-based drinks like an old fashioned as they greatly complement the warm flavors and add subtle elements of sweetness that only emphasize the other flavors instead of overpowering them.
The cherries are stemmed which helps make them easier to get out of the jar.
Pros
- The cherries are a deep purple color
- Sweet, juicy, and rich flavors
- Preserved in a rich syrup
- Subtly provides sweetness to bring out the flavors of the old fashioned
- Low-calorie
- Perfect for whisky-based drinks due to their richness
- Stemmed cherries
Cons
- 16 servings per jar, so if you like to add more cherries to your drinks, this jar may not last as long as you would like
Luxardo Gourmet Maraschino Cherries
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The maraschino cherries from Luxardo are made in Italy and used all around the world for cocktail garnishes and flavoring desserts.
The cherries are candied for extra sweetness and preserved in Marasca cherry syrup so that they can remain rich and full of flavor before being added to your cocktail.
The cherries are a deep red color that is completely natural as there are no preservatives used in Luxado cherries.
There are around 50 servings per jar and the jar is 50% cherries and 50% syrup so the flavors are equally balanced and the cherries have enough syrup to be soaked in.
As the syrup is sweet and flavored with Marasco cherry juice, the distinct cherry flavor brings out the flavors of the Old Fashioned and acts as a flavored sugar to add more sweetness to your drink.
Pros
- Made in Italy
- Can be used to flavor desserts as well as cocktails
- The cherries are candied for extra sweetness
- Preserved in a Marasca cherry syrup
- The cherries are a natural deep red color
- 50 servings per jar
- The jar is 50% cherries and 50% syrup
Cons
- The cherries are candied so may not taste as fresh or flavorful
Filthy Food Black Amarena Cherries
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The black Amarena cherries by Filthy Food are preserved in a sweet wild cherry syrup where there is enough syrup to add into your Old Fashioned and to keep the other cherries preserved.
The cherries are stored in a tin that is tightly sealed to keep them fresh even after the tin has been opened, and there is no danger of smashing a jar so the cherries are kept protected and preserved.
The cherries are both vegan and gluten-free.
The tin contains 160 cherries inside so you are able to get around 80 servings from the tin.
You may even be able to get more serving out of the tin if you use less than 2 cherries in your Old Fashioned.
The cherries are slow-cooked in copper pots to release the strong cherry flavors before they are put in the tin so that you can be sure that you are experiencing the best cherry flavors.
Pros
- Black cherries preserved in a wild cherry syrup
- Stored in a tightly sealed tin
- The tin contains 160 cherries
- Before packaging, the cherries are slow-cooked in copper pots
- No danger of the tin smashing
- Vegan
- Gluten-free
Cons
- The tin may rust so you must be careful to protect the tin so that it lasts longer
Buyer’s Guide
There are some important factors to consider before purchasing cherries for your Old Fashioned.
It is important to take these factors into consideration before choosing your cherries so that you can make sure you are getting the best quality cherries.
Candied Cherries
Candied cherries are sweet and extremely tasty, but some people dislike the texture or the added sweetness.
Some cocktail cherries are candied for extra sweetness, so if you are not looking for more sweetness to add to your cocktails, then you might want to try and find cherries that aren’t candied.
Candied cherries work well in an Old Fashioned as they provide sweetness to help bring out the flavors of the cocktail.
They are also preserved in syrup so they are not dry or lacking in flavor.
Some people prefer cherries that aren’t candied because they provide a more natural cherry-flavored sweetness that is perfect for an Old Fashioned.
The Color Of The Cherries
When it comes to cherries, the darker the color usually means the juicier the cherry.
It is worth checking what color the cherries are before buying a jar to make sure that you have cherries that are full of sweetness and flavor that will impact your cocktail for the better.
Some of the jars of cocktail cherries are a deep red color which means that the cherries are sweet and bursting with flavor.
There are also jars where the color of the cherries is a deep purple and have a rich cherry taste with hints of sweetness. The darker the cherries, the juicier and sweeter they are.
As you want an authentic cherry taste in your Old Fashioned, darker cherries will be able to provide the perfect flavor.
The lighter the cherries, the more you may struggle to pick up on a strong cherry flavor that adds anything to your drink. The darker the cherries, the greater the flavor impact on your drink.
The Syrup
The syrup is an extremely important component when looking for cocktail cherries as the cherries are being preserved in the syrup so you want to make sure that it is of high quality.
Ideally, you want the syrup in your cocktail cherry jars to be flavored with cherry juice so that this provides a stronger cherry flavor that is packed with richness and sweetness.
If you are looking for something slightly stronger, you are able to find cherries that are preserved in bourbon.
This complements your Old Fashioned as the cherries are already soaked in bourbon (see also: Best Bourbon For Old Fashioned)so there is already a cherry and whisky flavored syrup to accompany your drink.
When the cherries are soaked in bourbon or cherry syrup, this helps to bring out the flavors of both the cherries and the whisky so it is ready to be added to your cocktail straight away for a distinctive taste and experience.
Natural Ingredients
If you want the best tastes for your cocktail, it is important to make sure that the cherries are made with 100% natural ingredients.
If you find that the cherries are made with artificial flavorings or preservatives, you won’t experience the authentic cherry taste that perfectly accompanies an Old Fashioned.
Artificial flavors can have a bad impact on the authenticity of the Old Fashioned as they won’t compliment the flavors of the cocktail at all.
As the cherry helps to bring out the flavors of an Old Fashioned, using artificial flavors may not give you the same experience or improve the taste of your cocktail at all.
The natural ingredients will help you to experience an authentic tasting Old Fashioned and will help to keep your cocktail tasting fresh and full of flavor.
Servings Per Jar
It is also important to look at how many servings there are per jar of cocktail cherries. Some jars only contain 11 servings and some can contain up to 50 servings.
It is important to check how many servings you want in a jar so that the cherries are able to last you for as long as you need.
If you are looking to use the cherries for a dinner party or a gathering, it will be worth purchasing a jar of cherries with a larger serving.
There is no danger of the cherries becoming inedible quickly as they are preserved in syrup, so if you are considering a larger jar of cherries, you don’t have to be concerned about wasting them.
Final Thoughts
To conclude, making sure that your cocktail cherries are up to a high standard is very important if you want to experience an authentic Old Fashioned.
The garnish may seem like a small part of the cocktail, but it actually helps to bring out the flavors of your Old Fashioned, which is why high-quality cherries are vital in creating cocktails that are full of flavor.
As the cherries are important in making an Old Fashioned, the syrup seems insignificant. However, syrup is also vital in creating exquisite tastes.
As the cherries are soaked in the syrup, it is important to make sure that the syrup tastes as great as the cherries.
Whether you are looking for a syrup that cherry-flavored, full of sweetness, or is flavored with bourbon, it is important that you are happy with the taste.
As cherries actually play a bigger role in an Old Fashioned than you realized, we want to make sure that you experience the authentic flavors of this popular cocktail.
Making an Old Fashioned at home may seem daunting, but the cherries will actually make or break the recipe.
Having cherries that aren’t full of flavor won’t bring out the taste of your Old Fashioned, so it is important to make sure that you have the best cherries for your drinks.
Finally, the most important thing is to cater to your own tastebuds. If you want rich, sweet cherries, or cherries soaked in bourbon, the choice is yours!
The key to a great-tasting Old Fashioned (see also: Best Bitters For Old Fashioned)is using ingredients that you will be happiest with. The cherries will bring out all of the tastes you love about an Old Fashioned, so prepare yourself to be blown away by amazing tastes when using the best cherries!
Looking for variations of this classic cocktail? Check out our recipes below: