Cherry Monastic
A spirit-forward rye cocktail layering maraschino and Bénédictine with bitters for a restrained, contemplative drink that balances spice, herbal sweetness, and structure.
Ingredients
- 2 oz rye whiskey
- 1 barspoon maraschino liqueur
- 1 barspoon Bénédictine
- 1 dash Angostura bitters
- 1 dash orange bitters
Story
This drink emerged when you asked for “a nice complex spirit forward recipe to finish off 2025,” after we had already been building cocktails around maraschino liqueur and Bénédictine. I first leaned into a rye framework and proposed the Cherry Monastic as an original structure that could hold both ingredients without becoming sweet or heavy.
We refined it through comparisons between Sazerac Rye and Southern Star Double Rye, adjusting how much emphasis the liqueurs should have depending on the whiskey’s strength and profile. What remained consistent—and ultimately defined the drink—was the idea of a restrained, stirred rye cocktail where maraschino and Bénédictine act as supporting aromatics rather than dominant flavors.
Method
- Add all ingredients to a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir until well chilled and properly diluted. Strain into a chilled Nick & Nora glass. Express a lemon peel over the surface and discard.
Notes
- Built to stay dry despite the presence of two sweet liqueurs. Works best when stirred longer than standard to fully integrate herbal and spice elements.