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kirsch

40% ABVFranceGermanyUnited States

Also known as “cherry eau de vie”,“dry cherry brandy”,“kirschwasser”. Kirsch is generic for unaged brandy distilled from any of a number different varieties of cherries. Caveat emptor #1: the term “cherry brandy”, as cited in the vast majority of older drink recipe texts, most often (mistakenly) refers to cherry flavored brandy liqueur—and conversely, the grape-based liqueur is sometimes mistakenly substituted for the correctly cited eau de vie in other drink recipes. More often, the once geographically-specific terms “kirsch” or “kirschwasser” are (and were) used to indicate the distillate of cherries, rather than the liqueur, as was the term “dry cherry brandy”. Caveat emptor #2: eau de vies can vary wildly in quality and characteristics across manufacturers, even if they are derived from the same fruit. Experimentation is often necessary in locating an ideal eau de vie for a given cocktail.

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