6 Cocktails to Make With Cherry Heering

Created in Copenhagen in 1818 by Peter Heering, Cherry Heering is widely regarded as the world’s first cherry liqueur. Heering, who worked trading goods in the city’s harbor, had received a cherry liqueur recipe from an old boss’s wife, and figured he could transform it into a business opportunity. So he got to work tinkering with Danish cherries and spices and Cherry Heering was born.

Originally dubbed “Heering cherry liqueur,” Cherry Heering quickly gained favor among locals, and Heering, with his connections in the harbor, was able to secure its placement on cargo ships bound for global ports. One of those ports included Singapore, where the liqueur was later used to create the Singapore Sling.

A key component in classics like the Sling and the Blood and Sand, Cherry Heering is best known for its tart cherry jam and subtle spice flavors. Not to be confused with Luxardo Maraschino — a different type of cherry liqueur made from the pits, leaves, branches, and skins of maraschino cherries — Cherry Heering is made with whole Danish Stevns cherries, which imbue the liqueur with its vibrant red color and syrupy sweetness.

Used in the right ratios, 48 proof Cherry Heering can add viscosity, dimension, and a fruity complexity to cocktails, and there are a number worth checking out. Keep reading to check out six of the best cocktails to make with Cherry Heering.

The Remember the Maine

Meeting at the crossroads between a Manhattan and a Sazerac, the Remember the Maine is a punchy combination of rye, sweet vermouth, Cherry Heering, and absinthe. While undeniably rye-forward, the cocktail delivers an almost chocolate-covered cherry profile with a strong herbal backbone. Like many classic cocktails, it’s challenging to pin down exactly who came up with the recipe, though it first appeared in print in Charles H. Baker Jr.’s 1939 book “The Gentleman’s Companion.” While the recipe featured in Baker’s book originally called for cherry brandy, most versions of the drink now call for Cherry Heering for its sweeter profile.

The Singapore Sling

First stirred up by bartender Ngiam Tong Boon at the Long Bar at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore, the country’s namesake Sling is also its national cocktail. While other classic cocktails may have murky histories surrounding who created them and when, the Singapore Sling’s mystery comes in a different form: its recipe. See, no one really knows what ingredients are involved in making one, with different specs calling for various types of juice and bitters. But through it all, two ingredients remain consistent: gin and Cherry Heering. This version sees the two spirits mixed with Bénédictine, lime juice, Angostura bitters, and soda water for a refreshing combination of sweet and sour.

The Blood and Sand

The world of Scotch-based cocktails isn’t a very big one, and much of the conversation is dominated by drinks like the Penicillin and the Rob Roy. But the Blood and Sand also features the whisky, though it’s often left out of the cocktail canon. Luckily, the recipe is pretty easy to remember. An equal parts combination of Scotch, sweet vermouth, Cherry Heering, and orange juice, the cocktail imparts tart citrus and slightly smoky notes with an undercurrent of sweetness. While delicious on its own, we think an extra squeeze of lemon juice works to balance things out.

The Southpaw

Developed by Sami Katrib of Mercy Me at Yours Truly in Washington, D.C., the Southpaw is a delightful mix of mezcal reposado and both fino and Pedro Ximémez (PX) sherries, which provide a punchy smoked fruit base. A quarter-ounce of both Cherry Heering and allspice dram soften the drink’s harsher edges, lending the concoction some baking spice and stewed cherry sweetness. With a bar spoon of Cynar added for vegetal bitterness, the Southpaw is warm, comforting, and ideal for sipping next to a campfire.

The Wildest Red Head

Described by its creator as a drink that “tastes like a hug,” the Wildest Red Head is a sweet-tart take on a classic Whiskey Sour. Developed by Meagan Dorman of Raines Law Room, it’s powered by a half-ounce of blended Scotch and a quarter-ounce of allspice dram. The low-ABV base is accompanied by rich honey syrup (3:1) which lends some florality and a generous squeeze of lemon juice. The cocktail gets its name from its finishing touch: a ruby red Cherry Heering float that adds a dimension of tart fruit and creates an enticing layered look.

The Paloma Paradiso

After the Margarita, the Paloma is undeniably the world’s most popular tequila cocktail. But if you’re looking for something different from the typical tequila, grapefruit soda, and lime juice, look no further than the Paloma Paradiso. Still based with tequila, the cocktail swaps grapefruit soda for fresh-squeezed juice and calls for pineapple juice in place of lime. The sharp citrus is cut with agave syrup and Cherry Heering, which complement the juice with hints of grassiness and lush fruit sweetness.

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