This plum brandy cherry sour blends the fruity plum flavour of Slivovitz with tart cherries in a drink inspired by Dracula! Try our gunpowder fig and rosemary cocktail for another gothic literary inspired drink.
At a Glance: Plum Brandy Cherry Sour
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cooking Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: ~20 minutes plus cooling time
- Servings: 1 serving
- Flavour: Sweet and slightly sour, tart and fruity
- Skill Level: Easy
- Why this Works: Tart cherry juice pairs beautifully with fruity plum brandy while a dash of bitters rounds out the flavours and highlights the fresh fruit flavour in this Dracula-inspired cocktail.
Dracula, the Feast
Bram Stoker's Dracula takes us on a gothic journey like no other. The dark and dangerous figure, Count Dracula, ominously lurks in shadowed castles and slips quietly into candlelit bedrooms, revealing the fears and terrors of the story's central characters. To honour this gothic masterpiece, we are following the story through food, starting with Jonathan Harker’s fateful journey into the Carpathian Mountains, to the misty sea cliffs of Whitby, the drawing rooms of Victorian London, and the final dangerous race back to Transylvania. Each recipe draws on the places and people at the heart of the novel, echoing the themes of light and darkness, innocence and seduction, superstition and science, life and death. We invite you to sink your teeth into these recipes one at a time, at a Halloween gathering, or at your next book club!
Plum Brandy Cherry Sour
Nearing the end of his long journey Jonathan Harker is invited into Count Dracula's personal carriage for the final moonlit miles to Castle Dracula. With a chill in the air and a growing sense of unease Harker is comforted to know there is a bottle of Slivovitz in the carriage to offer a little liquid courage. Made from damson plums, the fruity flavour of Slivovitz pairs beautifully with tart cherry juice in this tangy cocktail. With a dash of aromatic bitters to temper the sweetness this cocktail is garnished with a sweet maraschino cherry. Gather your courage as we approach Castle Dracula with a glass of this delightful plum brandy cherry sour.
If you're looking for more delicious cherry recipes then check out our clarified cherry custard cocktail or our cherries jubilee with amaretto ice cream. For another fruit brandy recipe take a look at our homemade infused plum brandy.
Ingredients for Plum Brandy Cherry Sour
Slivovitz: Slivovitz is a fruit brandy made from damson plums and produced primarily in Central and Eastern European countries where the name may vary. It has a distinctive plum and fruit flavour and should be relatively easy to source in most places. If you aren't able to source it then there are a couple of different options when it comes to a substitute. You could use a regular brandy or cognac, although the flavour of the cocktail will be primarily cherry. If you wanted to use another fruit brandy then cherry brandy would make a good choice. Apple or pear brandy, such as Calvados or Poire William, would also work but would add a different fruit flavour profile.
Tart cherry juice: Tart cherry juice is blended with sugar to make a simple syrup. If possible, try to use tart cherry juice rather than dark, or sweet, cherry juice. The added tartness will help prevent the overall drink from becoming too sweet. If you do need to use a sweet cherry juice then you may want to reduce the sugar,
Bitters: Adding bitters to this cocktail tempers the sweetness and allows the fruit flavours to shine. I used Peychaud's bitters which is a gentian-based bitters originally made in New Orleans. It is similar in style to Angostura bitters which would make an excellent substitute in this recipe.
Luxardo maraschino cherries: Maraschino cherries make an excellent garnish for this cocktail complimenting the cherry flavour. First made in the 1800’s, Luxardo cherries are made from preserving sour marasca cherries in a dark red syrup. While they do come with a steeper price point than your average supermarket candied maraschino, they are far superior in flavour. I highly recommend splurging on a jar of Luxardo cherries for this cocktail. You may never go back to those bright red candied cherries again!
How to Make the Plum Brandy Cherry Sour
1. Make the syrup
In a saucepan placed over medium heat, combine the tart cherry juice and sugar. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. When it comes to a simmer and the sugar is dissolved, remove from the heat and allow to cool completely. The syrup will last in the fridge for about 3 weeks in the fridge.
2. Make the Plum Brandy Cherry Sour
To make the cocktail, combine the slivovitz, cherry syrup, lemon juice, and bitters in a cocktail shaker. Add ice, cover, and shake for 10 to 15 seconds. Strain into a Nick and Nora glass and garnish with a maraschino cherry. Enjoy!
More Gothic Literary Cocktail Recipes
- Dr. Frankenstein's Elixir of Life Cocktail
- Catherine Earnshaw's Raspberry Rose Cocktail
- Gunpowder Fig and Rosemary Cocktail
- The Headless Horseman Burnt Honey Old Fashioned
- Katrina Van Tassel's Spiced Apricot Cocktail
Plum Brandy Cherry Sour
Ingredients
Tart Cherry Syrup
- 1 cup tart cherry juice
- 1 cup granulated sugar
Plum Brandy Cherry Sour
- 1 ½ oz Slivovitz plum brandy *see note
- 1 oz Tart Cherry Syrup
- ½ oz lemon juice
- 3 dashes Peychaud's bitters or Angostura bitters
- Luxardo maraschino cherries as needed
Instructions
Tart Cherry Syrup
- In a saucepan placed over medium heat, combine the tart cherry juice and sugar. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. When it comes to a simmer and the sugar is dissolved, remove from the heat and allow to cool completely. The syrup will last in the fridge for about 3 weeks in the fridge.
Plum Brandy Cherry Sour
- To make the cocktail, combine the Slivovitz, cherry syrup, lemon juice, and bitters in a cocktail shaker. Add ice, cover, and shake for 10 to 15 seconds. Strain into a Nick and Nora glass and garnish with a maraschino cherry. Enjoy!
