Royal Harvest Bordeaux Maraschino Cherries

Royal Harvest Bordeaux Maraschino Cherries are premium cocktail cherries made from Bing cherries with no artificial ingredients, preservatives, or high fructose corn syrup. Distinguished by their deep mahogany color derived from fruit and vegetable concentrates rather than synthetic red dye, these cherries have earned a loyal following among bartenders and home cocktail enthusiasts who consider them a serious alternative to Luxardo.

Quick Facts: Type: Cocktail Garnish Cherry  |  Origin: Oregon, USA  |  Cherry Varietal: Bing  |  Manufacturer: Pacific Coast Producers

Production & Heritage

Royal Harvest Bordeaux Maraschino Cherries trace their roots to Oregon Cherry Growers, a cooperative with deep ties to the Pacific Northwest cherry industry. In 2017, Pacific Coast Producers acquired Oregon Cherry Growers and continues to produce these cherries at facilities in Salem and The Dalles, Oregon. What sets the Bordeaux line apart from conventional maraschino cherries is a clean-label approach: the cherries are sweetened with sugar only, colored with fruit and vegetable concentrates, and flavored using naturally sourced ingredients. There is no corn syrup, no high fructose corn syrup, and no artificial preservatives — a stark departure from the neon-red, overly saccharine maraschinos found in most grocery aisles.

Tasting Notes

Appearance: A rich mahogany red, much darker and more natural-looking than standard bright-red maraschinos. The syrup surrounding the cherries has a translucent, juice-like quality.

Aroma: Fresh Bing cherry dominates, with a subtle sweetness and a faint tartness that reads as genuinely fruit-forward rather than candied.

Taste: The initial bite delivers full-bodied Bing cherry flavor — sweet but restrained, with a pleasant tartness that keeps the palate engaged. The flesh is firm and satisfying, a far cry from the mushy texture of mass-market alternatives. The accompanying syrup tastes closer to natural cherry juice than the thick, cloying liquid found in conventional jars.

Finish: A crisp, clean finish with lingering stone-fruit character. No artificial aftertaste or waxy residue on the palate.

How to Use Royal Harvest Bordeaux Cherries

These cherries work equally well as a garnish and as a flavor component in cocktails. Drop one or two into a drink and the syrup subtly enhances the surrounding liquid without overpowering it.

• Manhattan: The cherry's tartness and firm texture complement rye whiskey and sweet vermouth without adding cloying sweetness.
• Old Fashioned: A single Bordeaux cherry muddled lightly contributes natural fruit depth to bourbon without the artificial flavor conventional maraschinos introduce.
• Amaretto Sour: The Bing cherry profile bridges the almond notes of amaretto and the citrus in the sour mix, adding visual appeal and a clean fruit accent.

Beyond cocktails, these cherries hold up well on charcuterie boards, atop desserts, or as a garnish for non-alcoholic spritzes and sodas.

Best For

• Stocking a serious home bar with clean-label garnishes
• Upgrading Manhattans and Old Fashioneds for cocktail nights
• Gifting alongside a bottle of bourbon or rye for a complete cocktail kit
• Replacing artificial maraschinos for entertaining or dinner parties

Frequently Asked Questions

What do Royal Harvest Bordeaux Maraschino Cherries taste like? They deliver a full-bodied, authentic Bing cherry flavor with balanced sweetness and a hint of tartness, finishing clean without any artificial aftertaste. The texture is notably firm compared to conventional maraschinos.

How do Royal Harvest Bordeaux Cherries compare to Luxardo? Luxardo Maraschino Cherries are an Italian import made from Marasca cherries with a denser, more candied texture and deeper syrup, while Royal Harvest uses Oregon-grown Bing cherries for a lighter, more fruit-forward profile. Many reviewers consider the two comparable in quality, with Royal Harvest often cited as a more accessible option at a lower price point.

Are Royal Harvest Bordeaux Cherries good for cocktails? They are specifically designed as a premium cocktail garnish, with firm texture that holds up in drinks and a natural cherry flavor that enhances rather than masks the base spirit.

Where are Royal Harvest Bordeaux Cherries made? They are produced by Pacific Coast Producers at facilities in Salem and The Dalles, Oregon, in the heart of the Pacific Northwest's Bing cherry growing region.

What foods pair well with Royal Harvest Bordeaux Cherries? They complement aged cheeses on a charcuterie board, where the cherry tartness cuts through richness. They work well over vanilla ice cream or panna cotta for a simple dessert garnish, alongside dark chocolate truffles as an after-dinner pairing, and spooned over baked brie for a sweet-savory contrast.

What sizes do Royal Harvest Bordeaux Cherries come in? The standard retail size is a 13.5 oz jar, though availability of additional sizes may vary by market.

Are Royal Harvest Bordeaux Cherries worth the price? They position squarely in the premium cocktail cherry tier alongside brands like Luxardo and Filthy, but generally retail below those competitors while delivering comparable quality — making them strong value for anyone serious about their garnish game.

Why Royal Harvest Bordeaux?

The cocktail cherry category divides cleanly between artificial neon-red cherries and premium natural alternatives, and Royal Harvest Bordeaux sits firmly in the latter camp. The use of Bing cherries from Oregon's fertile growing regions, combined with a strict no-artificial-ingredients policy, produces a garnish that tastes like actual fruit — a low bar in theory, but one that most mass-market brands fail to clear. For bartenders and home enthusiasts who have made the jump to quality spirits and fresh-squeezed juices, these cherries represent the logical next step: a garnish that adds to a drink rather than detracting from it. The clean ingredient list and firm texture make them a practical upgrade that justifies their premium positioning in a category where the difference between good and bad is immediately noticeable in the glass.