Royal Harvest Cherries 13.5OZ

Royal Harvest Cherries 13.5OZ are premium maraschino cocktail cherries made from hand-picked Bing cherries, sold in a 13.5-ounce jar. Distinguished from mass-market alternatives by their clean-label approach — no artificial ingredients, no high fructose corn syrup — these cherries rely on fruit and vegetable concentrates for their deep mahogany color and real sugar for sweetness.

Quick Facts: Size: 13.5 oz  |  Origin: Salem, Oregon, USA  |  Cherry Variety: Bing  |  Producer: Pacific Coast Producers, Inc.  |  Non-Alcoholic / Gluten-Free

Production & Heritage

Royal Harvest Cherries are produced by Pacific Coast Producers, Inc., based in Salem, Oregon. The cherries are hand-picked at peak freshness and processed without artificial colors, artificial flavors, or high fructose corn syrup — a meaningful distinction in a category where many competing products rely heavily on synthetic dyes and HFCS. The result is a Bing cherry that retains fuller, more recognizable fruit character compared to the neon-red, candy-sweet maraschinos found on most grocery shelves.

Tasting Notes

Appearance: Rich mahogany red with a glossy, plump exterior. The color comes from fruit and vegetable concentrates rather than Red 40 or similar artificial dyes, giving them a more natural, darker hue.

Taste: The first bite delivers the full-bodied, mouth-filling flavor of a fresh Bing cherry — sweet and immediately recognizable. Mid-palate, a tantalizing blend of sweet and tart notes emerges, avoiding the one-dimensional sugar-bomb quality common to conventional maraschinos. The overall impression is closer to actual fruit than confection.

Finish: A delightfully crisp finish with lingering tartness reminiscent of biting into a fresh cherry. Clean and balanced, with no cloying artificial aftertaste.

How to Use Royal Harvest Cherries

These cherries serve as a premium garnish that contributes real fruit flavor rather than just color to finished drinks. Their balanced sweetness makes them versatile across classic and modern cocktails.

• Manhattan: The sweet-tart Bing character complements rye whiskey and sweet vermouth without overwhelming the drink's herbal backbone.
• Old Fashioned: A single cherry adds natural fruit depth that pairs with bourbon's vanilla and caramel notes — muddle lightly or serve whole.
• Whiskey Sour: The tartness of these cherries mirrors the citrus element, reinforcing the drink's sour-sweet balance.
• Amaretto Sour: Bing cherry's stone-fruit profile echoes the almond-driven sweetness of amaretto for a cohesive garnish choice.

Beyond cocktails, Royal Harvest Cherries work well in dessert applications — ice cream sundaes, baked goods, or as a topping for cheesecake.

Best For

• Stocking a home bar with a clean-ingredient cocktail garnish
• Upgrading classic whiskey cocktails like Manhattans and Old Fashioneds
• Bartenders and hosts who prefer natural ingredients over artificial additives
• Gifting alongside a bottle of bourbon or rye as part of a cocktail kit

Frequently Asked Questions

What do Royal Harvest Cherries taste like? They deliver a full-bodied Bing cherry flavor with a balanced blend of sweetness and natural tartness, finishing clean without the artificial aftertaste common to standard maraschino cherries.

How do Royal Harvest Cherries compare to Luxardo Maraschino Cherries? Luxardo cherries are produced in Italy using Marasca cherries and carry a significantly higher price point, while Royal Harvest uses American-grown Bing cherries and positions as a more accessible option. Both avoid artificial ingredients, though Luxardo's syrup is notably thicker and the flavor profile skews darker and more candied.

Are Royal Harvest Cherries good for cocktails? Yes — their natural Bing cherry flavor and balanced sweetness make them well-suited for garnishing whiskey-forward cocktails, tiki drinks, and any recipe calling for a maraschino cherry.

Where are Royal Harvest Cherries made? Royal Harvest Cherries are produced by Pacific Coast Producers, Inc., based in Salem, Oregon, using hand-picked Bing cherries.

What foods pair well with Royal Harvest Cherries? They complement vanilla ice cream and sundaes as a classic topping, work as a garnish for cheesecake or chocolate cake, pair well with charcuterie boards alongside aged cheeses, and can be folded into baked goods like cherry clafoutis or fruit tarts.

What sizes do Royal Harvest Cherries come in? The standard retail size is 13.5 ounces (approximately 383 grams) in a jar.

Are Royal Harvest Cherries worth the price? Royal Harvest positions as a mid-range premium option between mass-market maraschinos and ultra-premium European imports like Luxardo, offering a clean ingredient list and genuine Bing cherry flavor at an approachable price point.

Why Royal Harvest Cherries?

In a category crowded with artificially dyed, HFCS-laden products, Royal Harvest stands apart by delivering a genuine Bing cherry experience with a transparent ingredient list. The use of fruit and vegetable concentrates for color and real sugar for sweetness means bartenders and home enthusiasts get a garnish that actually tastes like the fruit it comes from. For anyone building or upgrading a home bar, a quality cocktail cherry is one of the simplest ways to improve classic drinks — and Royal Harvest provides that upgrade without requiring the premium price of imported European alternatives.