Dr Mcgillicuddys Cherry

Dr. McGillicuddy's Cherry is a cherry-flavored liqueur, and it's best treated as a bartender's shot and mixing liqueur rather than a sipping cordial. The details on file give only the name and category, so what follows describes what cherry liqueurs in this style usually do. It isn't a measured profile of this bottle. Expect a clear, sweet red-cherry flavor, closer to candied or maraschino-style fruit than to the dry, nutty character of a pit-driven kirsch. Liqueurs like this are generally bottled at a lower proof than straight spirits, and the sweetness covers much of the alcohol. The result is easy to drink and nearly always served cold. Cold is the key to serving it. Keep the bottle in the freezer or refrigerator, or shake it with ice, because chilling tightens the sugar and makes the cherry taste fresher instead of syrupy. Served neat in a small chilled shot glass, it works as a straightforward sweet cherry shot. Over ice in a rocks glass, it stays sweet but opens up gradually as the ice melts. For a longer, lighter drink, pour about an ounce and a half over ice in a tall glass and top it with club soda or lemon-lime soda. Add a squeeze of lime or lemon, which cuts the sugar and gives you a simple highball. As a cocktail ingredient, treat it as a sweetener with flavor, not a base spirit. A half ounce to an ounce can stand in for simple syrup in a whiskey sour, where bourbon and lemon juice balance the sweetness and add a cherry note. It also works in a vodka or rum sour, in a spritz-style drink with sparkling wine and soda, or alongside cola for a cherry-cola long drink. Mixed with a little cream or chocolate liqueur, it gives a chocolate-covered-cherry dessert drink, and a splash over vanilla ice cream works without any mixing. Because it is sweet and leans on fruit, it pairs better with desserts than with savory courses. Chocolate, vanilla, almond, and citrus are the usual partners. Keep the bottle sealed and out of direct light, and if it separates or clouds after a long time in the freezer, let it warm slightly and shake it before pouring.