If Gin is your choice of drink, then do read on as we share with you a review of Luxardo‘s Sour Cherry Gin, Limoncello Liqueur as well as their Maraschino Cherries. This is not just a review post of the drinks themselves but we also share with you some great recipes for cocktails. Readers who are local to us can also head to the pop-up Luxardo Cherry Garden Gin Bar which is located at The Botanist in Alderley Edge in Cheshire this month celebrating Italian outdoor drinking and there’s also a chance to win a trip to Venice.
The bar will serve original cocktails with Italy’s famous classic Luxardo Limoncello, plus its new Sour Cherry Gin and also its traditional London dry gin style. Meet up and relax around the bar which is designed with a bright Mediterranean look: foliage and florals set off breezy cherry blossom around the whitewashed wood bar. It opens on certain regular days of the week and for special cocktail, events (subject to weather and manager’s discretion). Expect refreshing, adventurous flavours – with rose water, aromatic fresh thyme, zesty lemon – and fizz! Visit Garden Street for online gin delivery.
Girolamo Luxardo founded this company back in 1821 and his family are still completely running the show to this day. The family have lived through being part of two different countries, and going through two world wars, they have lost family members and moved their town of manufacture, but through it, all the family have stayed together. They have shown how strong their brand/product is through the strength they have as a family. You can find out more of their family history here.
What is also interesting about the longevity of their brand is that since initially starting with one liquor – which was the Maraschino, which is their classic Cherry Liquor. Since the day it was perfected, not much has changed within how its made, even down to the utensils used to make it. I love this about the product, it has such history and knowing that these people are so passionate about making these drinks is so appealing. We were asked to review Sour Gin, Limoncello, and also a jar of Maraschino Cherries.
With the Luxardo Gin and Liquor in hand, I found that the cocktail combinations in the recipes below are super accessible, due to the ingredients being quite minimal. Plus if you can’t find some of the trickier ingredients (such as the rose water – you can always mix it up with what you have already. I struggled with the rose water, although I am sure most large supermarkets will stock it (however, we live in a particularly small town, so didn’t have access to it), and the celery bitters – I suggest using an alternative to this if you are unable to find it (see below for more options).
HERE ARE THE RECIPES:
Cherry, Blossom & Tonic
50ml Luxardo Sour Cherry Gin
200ml tonic water
1 spray rose water
Lemon zest
Build in a tall glass over ice.
The Cherry, Blossom & Gin cocktail would be great as the intro drink to any party as it is light, fresh and easy to drink. You can taste the sour cherry and that really went well with the bitterness you get from the tonic. The only ingredient I did not add was the rose water and although you aren’t adding a lot I think it would have made it a slightly softer drink. But it totally worked well without it too.
Italian 75
25ml Luxardo Sour Cherry Gin
15ml Luxardo Cherry Syrup (from a jar of maraschino cocktail cherries).
15ml lemon juice
Shake ingredients over ice, and strain into a champagne flute. Top with chilled prosecco.
Garnish with a Luxardo maraschino cherry.
The Italian 75 cocktail would be best served with dessert as it has a sweet and sour taste to it and I reckon it would be perfect if served with a lovely wedge of baked cheesecake or a simple white chocolatey dessert! This cocktail was really nice too – although quite sweet. However, the lemon gave it a nice zing. The Prosecco added a little more depth too, which means you won’t drink it quite as quickly.
Lost in Thyme
60ml Luxardo Limoncello
20ml lemon juice
3 dashes celery bitters
Shake over ice and fine strain into a coupette glass. Garnish with fresh thyme.
The third and final cocktail which we tried was Lost in Thyme…. just the name makes me smile! This drink is perfect, especially if you are having a cocktail party. Would suggest for you to pre-make the cocktail ready to be served on a table accompanied by canapés for your guests. This is the least sweet out of the three and possibly my favourite with the Cherry, Blossom & Gin being a very close second. This cocktail tasted sharp and sweet at the same time, which had a lot to do with the combination of ingredients. Although I didn’t have the celery bitters, I used a bit of pink grapefruit juice (you could also use regular bitters and a bit of celery juice). This cocktail reminded me of Margarita. I would think that you could quite easily top the rim of your glass with some celery salt to really give it that earthy edge. The trick with this cocktail is to serve it cold for the best flavour.
All in all, it was great fun making and tasting these fabulous drinks, but you could also drink these on their own in small glasses as an aperitif before your meal.
Here’s what we thought of the drinks individually
The Sour Cherry Gin has a rounded flavour and isn’t particularly sour, it isn’t quite as bitter as regular Gin and for those of you that have made sloe gin over the summer, you will find it is not dissimilar to this. It is fairly sweet and has a really pleasant aroma, along with a fairly light taste. It comes in at 37.5 percent so don’t overdo it when drinking this neat!
The Limoncello smells amazing, it is so sharp, however, don’t let this fool you on the taste. It has a lovely light lemon flavour, which is soft and smooth, and not overly sweet. You could also easily mix this with a cream liquor which would make a great alternative to the popular Irish Cream liquors that you get over the winter.
How much do they cost and where can you purchase them?
The Sour Cherry Gin ranges from £25.99 – £29.99 (however some places offer free delivery and others don’t, therefore, watch out for this when thinking you may have a cheaper price – you may make it up on the delivery). The Limoncello – ranges from £17.99 – £23.99. There are many places to purchase them for home delivery or as a gift including Amazon, but you can find all three products ie The Luxardo Sour Cherry Gin, The Luxardo Limoncello and the Luxardo Maraschino Cherries here.
What’s happening at Bars near you
Luxardo, Gin and Cocktail fans are in for a stylish surprise when a whole new kind of bar opens at The Botanist in Alderley Edge. The Luxardo Cherry Garden Gin Bar will pop-up at The Botanist for a late Summer season celebrating Italian outdoor drinking. It opens from August to 20 October 2019 and there’s also a chance to win a trip to Venice.
The bar will serve original cocktails with Italy’s famous classic Luxardo Limoncello, plus its new Sour Cherry Gin and
also its traditional London dry gin style. Meet up and relax around the bar which is designed with a bright Mediterranean look: foliage and florals set off breezy cherry blossom around the whitewashed wood bar. It opens on certain regular days of the week and for special cocktail events [subject to weather and manager’s discretion. Expect refreshing, adventurous flavours – with rose water, aromatic fresh thyme, zesty lemon – and fizz!
About The Botanist
It started with a seed, an idea to create a secret garden of food and drink. A place where antiquities and trinkets hang from the walls, and resident botanists craft unusual concoctions. Some arrive for the live music, some for the conversation; but here at The Botanist, all can enjoy a wondrous occasion…A concept like no other, offering a soon to be world-famous selection of botanical cocktails, craft beers and ales, Champagne and wine. Food inspired by the deli, rotisserie and BBQ. With live music every night, sublime social times are guaranteed!
Review by : Lex Ward
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*Disclaimer: We were sent these drinks to try out in return for a feature. All opinions are our own.
40 comments
I love gin and I have just bought a new bottle of passion fruit and coconut gin the other day from the duty free as I was returning home. The sour cherry gin sounds fabulous, I would love to try it! Sour cherries are one of my favorite fruits and they are almost impossible to find in the UK.
I hope you do as the flavours are so different and unique and you would love it!
I am a real gin fan and love cherries. This sounds right up my street.
How wonderful to hear that Fiona! Thank you for stopping by
THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE talking about Limoncello! It’s literally one of my favorite drinks of ALL time!! I got it one time for my birthday and was OBSESSED!! Thank you for letting me know that it’s not only sold at Cooper’s Hawk, I thought I’d never get it again!
So so glad you are a fan of Limoncello!! Its such a great drink and fab for baking as well and more people should know more about it
I’m home sick right now and could use one of these, lol. I would feel better. Looks yummy.
It certainly was delicious and we enjoyed making each of this
We live half the year in Italy, and so know Limoncello very well! I’m also intrigued to try the maraschino cherries, they sound sweetly delicious!
Yes they are, you must try our recipes then, you will surely love them
These make great cocktails for the Halloween parties, thanks for the idea. I hope they are sweet enough for me.
I am sure they are, otherwise you can always mix your own concoction using these ingredients
These recipes are very interesting. We love limoncello and maraschino cherries! Very curious about the sour cherry gin. Thanks for enlightening us!
Your welcome, hope you give the sour cherry gin a try as the flavours were delish and they all complimented each other
This looks like a drink my husband and I would enjoy on a date night. Thanks for the recipe!
Your welcome, hope you give it a go
I have never heard of this brand before. I will be sure to look out for it in the stores. I really think I would enjoy these drinks.
You may not be able to get it in your regular stores so best to purchase it online via our link
My grandfather was a lover of gin. I’m sure he would have loved to try this.
So glad to hear that, its a great gin to try
Limencello is such a great drink! We love it in this household.
Glad to hear that, it is a nice drink indeed
Oh these look amazing, would you believe that I have never tried gin before??
You must! It is the ‘in’ drink now
Yummy!!! I’m getting thirsty just reading your post and its 7 o’clock in the morning. Your Italian 75 is perfect for the coming Halloween with a little tweak for more effect.
Thank you for your kind word and yes the Italian 75 would be perfect for Halloweens!
I wasn’t particularly looking to have a drink right now. But this really makes me want to go out and get a drink. Looks so very delicious. Love the various lemon and cherry flavored beverages.
Thank you for your kind words David, so glad you took the time to write to us
I see margarita. Unfortunately, it is the only drink that I enjoy. I would love to have a glass later tonight
Its okay, maybe you can recommend this drink to your friends
Ooh yummy I would love to try this. Gin is one of my favorite things to drink and I haven’t had this type of gin before! Sounds like a great cocktail.
Hope you do get the chance to as its a fab selection of drinks Eli
I love a good drink combination. This would be interesting to try with the girls.
Yes absolutely! For a hen night do or a girls night out at home or at The Botanist
I haven’t tried any of these, and they all sound good! It’s nice to know what products to get when we entertain.
Absolutely and with the recipes, you can try making new cocktails as well
I wonder how sweet this drink is?! But I love maraschino cherries so…
Some are sweet and some sour, you can alter the taste and flavour of it using the recipe to how you like it served
These drinks and garnishes look like a great party addition! Flavors sound great and I’ll be adding them to our list the next time we have friends over.
Hope you do, it is such a party drink