Making Cherry Bourbon Liqueur

Cherries herald in the season. They are the first orchard fruit in a progression of summer's most treasured flavours. The season is all too short. As a child my mother would 'put up' a case of every fruit that came out of the Okanagan. We loved canned Okanagan fruit, especially cherries.

I no longer do this. Perhaps it is time to rethink before cherries are done. This recipe seems to easy to be true. I am making only a small jar to try it out. But hey, what's the downside? A jar of bourbon soaked cherries and a bit of bourbon that may taste like cherries. Really. There is no downside to trying this recipe.

Okay, so 2 months later I am adding my notes. The bourbon was a lovely red colour but no noticeable cherry flavour. It still would make a nice manhatten though. The cherries were so strongly bourbon flavoured that I couldn't use them as a garnish for my cocktail. Perhaps chop and add to a cherry pie with more cherries? Oh well. It had great potential.

Cherry Bourbon Liqueur

a jar
enough pitted cherries to fill the jar about one quarter full
a good bourbon

Place pitted cherries into a clean jar to about the one quarter mark. Fill to the top with bourbon. Seal tightly and leave at room temperature for one month. Store in a cold room or refrigerator until used. Will keep a long time.

That was easy. The hard part is waiting a month before tasting.