Cherry Bomb: Liquors And Cocktail Recipes Slideshow

Made with 100 percent natural essence of ripe black cherries (none of Grey Goose's flavored vodkas contain artificial ingredients), Grey Goose Cherry Noir is made with French wheat and spring water from Cognac and blended with essence of ripe cherries, under the watchful eye of cellar master François Thibault. In order to create Cherry Noir's unique flavor, Thibault worked with one of the world's leading flavor houses based in Grasse, France — whose identity remains a closely guarded company secret — to extract the most exquisite aromas and flavors from cherries.

This bottling has a fresh, non-cloying cherry aroma with dark-fruit flavors and spice notes. ($29.99 /750mL.) 

Click to see the recipe for the Grey Goose Cherry Lane cocktail recipe.

Click here to see the Grey Goose Cherry Noir Hamptons Punch recipe.

Slated to be released this September nationwide, Grand Marnier Cherry is blended with the same premium cognacs used to craft the original-recipe Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge. The difference? This expression blends the natural essence of hand-selected Griottes cherries with the orange spirit the brand is known for. "Cherry will be our first of an annual series of limited flavor releases from Grand Marnier," says Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle, vice chair of Societe Produits des Marnier Lapostolle. "We stay true to our roots of blending fine, aged cognacs with rare, natural fruits, a tradition my great-grandfather started in 1880. The Griottes cherries we selected form a perfect marriage with Grand Marnier and speak to the growing consumer demand for all natural ingredients." 

The results are intriguing; aromas of sweet cherries and spiced orange marry well with a layered, fresh-fruit flavor profile. To maintain top-notch quality, Grand Marnier Cherry uses 100 percent natural cherry essence, derived from Griottes cherries that have been macerated in neutral alcohol for three to four weeks in order to extract prime cherry flavors and aromas. ($41.99 / 750mL.)

Click to see the Grand Cherry Tiki cocktail recipe.

Click to see the Grand Cherry-Hattan cocktail recipe.

Beginning with its Southern Comfort Lime release in 2010, Southern Comfort has attracted young spirits fans with affordably priced flavored liqueurs that tend to be sweet and easy to use as mixers. The original Southern Comfort was created by New Orleans bartender Martin Wilkes Heron in 1874, combining whiskey with fruits, spices, and other spirits. While no longer whiskey-based, Bold Black Cherry is SoCo's newest product, released in June, and combines Southern Comfort with whiskey and black cherry flavors. Mark Bacon, vice president and managing director of Southern Comfort says in a press release, "We feel Bold Black Cherry will recruit new consumers into the Southern Comfort franchise who enjoy a distinctive flavor profile in their cocktails." Indeed, the cherry profile shows strongly in this release, but works well in citrus-based drinks or in a classic cherry Coke cocktail variation. ($16.99/ 750mL.)

Click to see the SoCo Bold Black Cherry & Cola cocktail recipe.

Click to see the SoCo Cherry Squeeze cocktail recipe.

Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc. has announced the release of Evan Williams Cherry Reserve Kentucky Liqueur, which combines extra-aged Evan Williams Bourbon with natural cherry flavors. Winning the silver medal for its Honey Reserve liqueur at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2010, Evan Williams has made a name for itself in the flavored spirits category, so there are high hopes for this latest, cherry-focused release. And while it remains to be seen if consumers and professional spirits tasters will equally embrace the new cherry bottling, the 70-proof cherry liqueur will be available across the country in September. ($14.99/750 mL.)

Expect the Cherry Reserve Kentucky Liqueur to have a rich amber color, notes of cinnamon spice and cherry on the nose, and a sweet cherry-almond or marzipan flavor on the finish. While it might be too sweet for some to drink straight up, it works well in a Manhattan variation or in this Cherry Whiskey Fizz recipe. 

Click to see the Cherry Whiskey Fizz cocktail recipe.

Debuted in 2010, Bacardis Torched Cherry rum may not be the newest on the market, but it is unique among flavored rums because its infused with not just cherry, but also aloe. With a burned cherry aroma and sweet cherry flavor, its a go-to pick for a Rum and Coke (but also makes a good mixer, when used in small quantities, in tiki-style libations). At 35 percent ABV, however, watch that you dont overpour.

Bacardis Torched Cherry blends Barbados cherries (also called Acerola Cherries, typically more sour than sweet) with Torch Plant Aloe, a plant indigenous to South Africa. And while its difficult to detect the aloe in this expression, the cherry is exotic, and comes through loud and clear. ($13.99/ 750mL.)

Click to see the Torched Cherry Rum and Cola cocktail recipe.