The Best Cocktail Cherries You Can Buy Are Deliciously Infused With Bourbon

Cherries are a timeless favorite for garnishing cocktails. They can temper acidic or sour flavors in cocktails with their sweetness, like in an amaretto sour, or amplify rounder, sweeter flavors in spirits like whiskey in an old fashioned or Manhattan. They're also an irresistible little snack with your drink, and for all of these reasons, they'd better be good. 

There are many different kinds of cherries, and cocktail cherries — which tend to be maraschino cherries — are like their own variety in that they tend to be candied. This helps them remain shelf stable since you're likely only using a couple at a time, but there's also potential for nuances in flavor and consistency in the way different cherries are candied. So, we tried and ranked eight different cocktail cherry brands to establish which jars are home bar must-haves. The winner? Yes Cocktail Co. Bourbon-Infused Cherries. 

Most bartenders, both amateur and pro, have moved on from those inexplicably neon maraschino cherries that taste more like almond extract. There are now many options for higher-quality options, real cherries candied in syrups made from natural ingredients, and often — for an extra boozy kick — a spirit like bourbon. The perfect choice offers a snap when you bite it, a creamy and juicy interior, the sweet-tart cherry flavor, and a noticeable flavor from the syrup or bourbon. Yes Cocktail Co.'s bourbon cherries are more decadent than competitors, with a little explosion of whiskey in every bite.

You've got choices when it comes to what kind of cherry to garnish with. While maraschino cherries are the most common, there's enough of a difference between maraschino and amarena cherries for cocktails that it's worth trying both — amarenas are tarter — and brands like Albero D'Oro make their cocktail cherries with more sour marasca. You can also find cherries that have been candied with brandy. But if you want one staple cocktail cherry to have on your bar cart and always know you're going to get this rich, indulgent one-two punch of cherry and classic bourbon, Yes Cocktail Co.'s bourbon cherries are the way to go. 

"These cherries were delish and perfect for your favorite cocktail," Andrew C. writes on Yes Cocktail Co.'s website. "I put them in my Manhattan and they were the perfect accompaniment!" Catherine L. agrees: "These are fantastic! Love them." Rave reviews continue on Yes Cocktail Co.'s Instagram page, where @couleur_delavie says of the cherries, "They are the best!!!"

It's worth noting that the bourbon flavor is indeed strong with these cherries. Yes Cocktail Co. removes the alcohol before jarring these cherries, so you won't get drunk snacking on them, but you will taste that whiskey. If you want less whiskey, more cherry, or another brand might be a better choice. But bourbon fans won't find a better cherry, and this jar gives you about 26 cherries for $22, made with all real ingredients and no preservatives.