Out of the jar or tin, Luxardo cherries are nothing like the candy-apple red lumps bartenders plunk into kiddie cocktails. They are a touch of class, the dark, perfect capper to a stiff drink. Their red is so deep, it's almost black; their syrup thicker than molasses on a chilly day. The taste is nutty like Amaretto and fruit-forward, without the sticky and acrid taste that waxy imitation maraschinos have. Slip one into a classic Aviation or The Last Word cocktail and there's really no comparison.
