Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur 750ML

Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur 750ML is a 32% ABV Italian cherry liqueur distilled from whole Marasca cherries and aged in Finnish ash wood vats. Founded in 1821, the Luxardo family remains one of the oldest and most respected producers of maraschino liqueur in the world, and this expression is widely regarded as the benchmark for the category.

Quick Facts: ABV: 32% (64 Proof)  |  Origin: Veneto, Italy  |  Cherry Liqueur  |  Distillery: Luxardo, Torreglia

Production & Heritage

The Luxardo distillery was established in 1821 in Zara (now Zadar, Croatia) and relocated to Torreglia in the Euganean Hills of Veneto, Italy, after World War II. The family cultivates its own Marasca sour cherry orchards in the surrounding hills, using the whole fruit — flesh, pits, stems, and leaves — for production. The cherries are first infused in larch wood vats for two to three years, then distilled. The resulting spirit is aged for an additional 12 to 18 months in Finnish ash wood vats, a distinctive step that gently oxidizes the liquid and mellows both the alcohol and the flavors into a smooth, refined liqueur.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with bright, ripe Marasca cherry and cherry stone, layered with roasted almond nuttiness and a faint floral lift. A subtle alcohol warmth rounds out the bouquet without overwhelming the fruit character.

Taste: The palate entry is decadently sweet and silky, with immediate cherry compote richness giving way to almond, vanilla, and a surprising hint of dark chocolate at the midpalate. A touch of orange marmalade adds complexity, while a gentle sharpness keeps the sweetness balanced and lively.

Finish: The finish is svelte and moderately syrupy, lingering with cherry preserve sweetness and a dry, stone-fruit bitterness from the crushed pits. It fades clean, leaving a delicate rosewater and almond echo.

How to Drink Luxardo Maraschino

Chilled and neat in a small cordial glass is the purest way to appreciate the cherry distillate character. A few drops of water can open up the floral and almond nuances for a more contemplative sip.

• Aviation: The classic pairing — Luxardo Maraschino bridges gin's botanicals and crème de violette's floral sweetness with its dry cherry backbone.
• Hemingway Daiquiri: The liqueur's almond and cherry notes temper grapefruit juice's tartness and add body alongside white rum.
• Last Word: Equal parts with gin, green Chartreuse, and lime juice, where the maraschino's subtle sweetness balances the herbal intensity.

Best For

• Building a serious home cocktail bar with classic-era essentials
• Gifting a cocktail enthusiast who appreciates pre-Prohibition recipes
• After-dinner sipping as a standalone digestif
• Elevating dessert recipes that call for cherry or almond flavoring

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Luxardo Maraschino taste like? Luxardo Maraschino delivers rich cherry compote and almond sweetness balanced by a dry, slightly sharp finish with hints of dark chocolate, vanilla, and orange marmalade. It is smooth and velvety rather than cloying, with a stone-fruit bitterness from the crushed cherry pits.

How does Luxardo Maraschino compare to Maraska Original Maraschino? Maraska Original Maraschino, produced in Croatia, leans more toward brandy-like aromatics with prominent floral notes and sweet cherry character. Luxardo Maraschino is generally considered drier and more complex, with deeper almond and dark chocolate undertones derived from its extended aging in Finnish ash wood vats.

Is Luxardo Maraschino good for cocktails? Luxardo Maraschino is considered indispensable for classic cocktails such as the Aviation, Hemingway Daiquiri, and Last Word, where its dry cherry and almond profile adds depth without excessive sweetness. It is widely regarded as the bartender's standard maraschino liqueur.

Where is Luxardo Maraschino made? Luxardo Maraschino is produced at the Luxardo distillery in Torreglia, located in the Euganean Hills near Padova in the Veneto region of Italy. The Marasca cherry orchards used for production are cultivated exclusively by the Luxardo family in the same hills.

What foods pair well with Luxardo Maraschino? Dark chocolate truffles complement the liqueur's cocoa and cherry notes. Almond biscotti echo the natural marzipan character. Fresh stone fruits like apricots or peaches mirror the cherry distillate's fruitiness. Aged Parmigiano-Reggiano provides a savory counterpoint, and mascarpone-based desserts like tiramisu benefit from the liqueur's vanilla and cherry richness.

What sizes does Luxardo Maraschino come in? Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur is most commonly available in the standard 750ml bottle, though 375ml half-bottles and 50ml miniatures can also be found in select markets.

Is Luxardo Maraschino worth the price? Luxardo Maraschino positions as a mid-range liqueur that punches well above its price point, given the multi-year infusion process, artisanal distillation, and extended aging in Finnish ash wood. For anyone serious about classic cocktails, it is considered an essential bottle with few true substitutes at any price.

Why Luxardo Maraschino?

What separates Luxardo from every other maraschino liqueur on the market is its vertically integrated production — the family grows its own Marasca cherries, infuses the whole fruit for up to three years in larch wood, distills the result, and then ages the spirit in Finnish ash wood vats for over a year. That Finnish ash aging step is particularly unusual; it introduces a controlled oxidation that softens the spirit without adding wood flavor, resulting in a liqueur that is crystal clear yet deeply complex. Over two centuries of continuous family ownership — through wars, displacement, and relocation — have kept the recipe and method remarkably consistent. For bartenders and home enthusiasts building drinks that date back to the 1800s, Luxardo Maraschino remains the definitive expression of the style.