Cherry Chocolate Liqueur

Cherry Chocolate Liqueur with succulent cherry and real cocoa

The cherry chocolate liqueur from the Ehringhausen distillery combines the freshness of succulent cherries with the full aroma of real cocoa beans. Lightly structured at 17% ABV, velvety on the palate, and bottled as a limited edition.

A cherry liqueur stands or falls on whether the fruit comes through, and this one pairs it with cocoa. To achieve this, the Ehringhausen distillery uses cherry juice instead of a cherry brandy, adding real cocoa beans and their own house-made fine wheat spirit. The result is a liqueur perfect for the hour after a meal.

Cherry-flavored, chocolatey, velvety

On the nose, there is dark cherry, followed by the cocoa scent that arises when opening a bar of dark chocolate.

On the palate, the fruit takes the lead, succulent and with the slight acidity that cherries naturally bring. Only then does the cocoa layer over it, turning it into something velvety. It remains velvety, fruity, and succulent in the finish, without the chocolate masking the cherry.

At 17% ABV, it is among the lighter liqueurs in the range, and that works to its advantage. A heavier alcohol would suppress the fruit, but this way, the liqueur remains drinkable rather than just sweet.

Juice instead of brandy

The main difference from a "Kirschwasser" (cherry brandy) is that nothing here is distilled from the cherry itself.

A cherry brandy is made from fermented mash and often carries the bitter-almond note of the pits. That is a unique quality, but it pairs poorly with cocoa. Juice, on the other hand, brings the fruit into the glass just as you know it from the tree, with sweetness and acidity, and that is exactly the base that chocolate needs to rest upon.

The fine wheat spirit underneath is produced in-house and is the reason why the liqueur remains clearly structured despite the fruit and cocoa. Purchased neutral alcohol would have a flatter profile, as Georg describes the difference for the entire liqueur range.

The cocoa choice is also deliberate. Anyone working with chocolate syrup gets sweetness and color, but little aroma. Real cocoa beans, conversely, bring that slightly bitter roasted note that prevents a cherry liqueur from veering toward cough syrup. This very bitterness is the silent counterpart to the fruit.

For dessert and in cocktails

Serve well chilled; if it was stored in the cupboard, 30 minutes in the fridge is perfectly sufficient.

After a meal, it works well neat in a small glass, and over vanilla ice cream, cherry and chocolate do what they have always done best. It is the logical accompaniment to Black Forest cake, and a splash in chocolate cake batter never hurts either.

In a cocktail, it pairs well with sparkling wine, tonic water, or in a sour, where its acidity partially replaces the lemon juice. If you want to emphasize the chocolate, pair it with a dark bar from our chocolate selection, and if you are looking for fruitiness, add something sparkling.

This cherry liqueur also makes a great gift because it doesn't pose a polarizing flavor question to anyone. Everyone knows cherry and chocolate, yet hardly anyone has the combination as a liqueur in their cupboard.

With this liqueur, "limited edition" simply means that the batch is limited and will not be continuously restocked. If you like it, it is better to put a second bottle in your cupboard right away.

It is worth not thinking about it for too long. For something fruitier and more summery, try the strawberry liqueur; you can find other bottles in our liqueur selection.

It is made in Werne, where the family has been distilling since 1962, and where Theres and Georg have been running the business in the third generation since 2012. Cherry and chocolate—an old pair in a new bottle.