Cocktail Hour: Drinking Cherry Bounce

Cherry Bounce!

Remember waaaaay back in August when I told you my friend Mike was making Cherry Bounce? Refresh you memory here. When I returned to my hometown of Cleveland for the holidays, the bounce was done and ready to be taste tested.

Mike strained and bottled it before serving.  Everyone was skeptical as it was poured out: the nose was more than a little like cough syrup.  It was downed with the anticipation of fake cherry flavoring…and then, as it flowed over your tongue, you realized it was nothing but the real thing.  Delicious whiskey infused with honest-to-goodness cherries.  It was sweet, but not too sweet, and the cherry flavor was pronounced.  But don’t let its rosy color and candy sweetness fool you: it was STRONG.  It’ll put some hair on your chest, that’s for sure.

I feel like it has tremendous mixing potential, but haven’t figured out with what yet.  Perhaps just over ice in the summer, with a splash of seltzer.

Clevelanders that were there and sampled it, what did you think? Does your opinion differ?

10 Responses to “Cocktail Hour: Drinking Cherry Bounce”


  • I think perhaps a weaker Whisky would make it a bit less hot.

    I did love the amount of Cherry flavor that came out. I think some of the trick is in crushing the cherry stones. It rounds out the flavor.

    • Yeah, it really was *cherry* flavored whisky. Why do you think the recipe called for such a strong whiskey in the first place?

      • If you look it didn’t “call” for anything specific. Just Double Rectified (= twice distilled) like most Bourbon made these days. I just happened to have an unopened bottle of Wild Turky 101 So that’s what I used,

        However, (and you may want to look this up) I don’t think they used to water it down like they do now, so I think you just used to get Cask strength all the time. Add your own water. So the 101 may have been closer to old fact.

  • Oohh, I love cherries. This is a recipe to look up for sure. I noticed the cherry pit crush… that’s what they do when they make maraschino liqueur (and they put fake almond in the day-glo bar cherries to try to mimic the real deal).
    I think splash of soda and you’re good.. great idea!

  • I’ve read about Cherry Bounce in some of my favourite historical fiction…always wondered what it tasted like! I made some Blueberry Gin this year, which will become an annual tradition. Boy, was I a popular guest when I arrived with a canning jar full of blue gin for the hostess! Theresa

  • That sounds great! Perhaps some Cherry lemonade is in order this summer!

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