Luxardo Maraschino Originale

Luxardo Maraschino Originale

Girolamo Luxardo moved to what is today known as Zadar, Croatia in 1817 as a consular representative of Sardinia. It was his wife that became enamored with the local Dalmatian liqueur, the Rosolio Maraschino. In 1821 Girolamo opened a distillery and soon after received a certificate from the emperor of Austria that acknowledged its exceptional quality. Their liqueurs became known far and wide along with their growing and impressive range which included the Original Maraschino Cherries, Limoncello, and a cherry liqueur. By 1913 the company had grown considerably, opening a new state-of-the-art distillery. The operation along with the Luxardo bloodline barely made it through the Second World War, but a new distillery with its very own cherry orchards thrives today in Torreglia, the Veneto region of Northeast Italy. It employs traditional copper-pot stills while constantly upgrading and investing to stay at the forefront of the industry. The company remains family-owned and is ran by the fifth, sixth, and seventh generations of the Luxardo family. Their flagship Maraschino liqueur and a range of award-winning products are a cocktail staple, along with cherries, syrups, wines, brandies, and many others. Luxardo Maraschino Originale is made according to the 1821 recipe, using Luxardo marasca cherries. After they are harvested, they are placed in alcohol together with some leaves and branches and left in vats for 3 years. After that, both the liquid and solid parts are distilled with only the heart of the distillate going into ash-wood vats to mature. The final step is the addition of simple syrup, which transforms the distillate into a liqueur and brings the proof down to 64. It's perfect as a digestif, an invaluable cocktail ingredient, and goes particularly well with gelato or fruit.