Luxardo Il Maraschino Cherry Liqueur Italy
This is a real treat for those in search of the obscure and abstract. One of very few liqueurs in the world produced by distillation, this is made from a sour cherry variety exclusively cultivated by Luxardo, the Marasca. The distillate is matured in Finnish ash wood vats for two years - without imparting any wood flavor or color. The liqueur has a crystal clear appearance with an intense perfumed nose of fresh cherry juice and nuances of almond and honey. On the palate, a luxurious texture - like liquid cherry pie with a slightly bitter aftertaste - makes it all the more interesting. This is the secret ingredient to some of the world's best cocktail recipes and as a beverage on its own, will add a great compliment to an array of pastries and cakes. A staple for any proper bar.
Luxardo is best known in the United States for its flagship Maraschino liqueur, but the company produces a wide range of classic Italian liqueurs beyond this, including: Amaretto, Aperitivo, Triplum Triple Sec, Limoncello, Amaro Abano, Fernet, Bitter, Sambuca, Grappa and many more. The Company was founded in Zara in 1821, a port city on the Dalmatian coast which had been, for more than six centuries, an integral part of the "Serenissima" republic of Venice. At the fall of the Venetian republic in 1797, Zara was designated the capital of the Kingdom of Dalmatia, under Austrian sovereignty. A Genoese businessman, Girolamo Luxardo, moved there with his family in 1817. His wife Maria Canevari was especially interested in perfecting a "rosolio maraschino", a liqueur produced in Dalmatia since medieval times. The liqueur she produced was of such high quality that it claimed the attention not only of family and friends but of serious connoisseurs. Her husband founded a distillery in 1821 to produce Maraschino. After 8 years of research and perfecting the product he obtained an exclusive "privilege" from the Emperor of Austria: this was a valuable and cherished acknowledgment of the superior quality of the Luxardo liqueur, and today the firm continues to be proud to bear the denomination "PRIVILEGIATA FABBRICA MARASCHINO EXCELSIOR". The distillery was nearly destroyed during World War II by Anglo-American bombings, and was subsequently relocated in the Veneto region by Giorgio Luxardo, the only surviving brother from the fourth generation of the Luxardo lineage, at a time when the majority of the Italian population living in Dalmatia was forced into exile. Currently under direction of the sixth generation of Luxardos, the Luxardo company is completely family owned, honoring the tradition Girolamo established 190 years ago. The family owns and manages the largest European orchards of the sour cherry Marasca variety, with 30,000+ trees located near Padova and Venice in northeastern Italy. Today, the Luxardos are producing a full line of classic, high quality, Italian liqueurs. Refined Italian craftsmanship and generations of expertise go into every stage of Luxardo products. With the mounting interest and expertise in the art of cocktails and Mixology, the Luxardo line continues to amass a dedicated following.