Cherry Sage Brûlée

Juleps & Smashes • April 09, 2026

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Curiada Ingredients

Other Ingredients

4.00 fresh Sage leaves
1.00 fl oz Fresh pressed pineapple juice
1.00 spoon Maraschino syrup (from cherry jar)

Directions

Muddle cherries in base of shaker
Add sage leaves and lightly bruise with muddler
Add remaining ingredients to shaker
Add ice and shake well
Fine strain into ice-filled glass
Garnish with maraschino cherries and sage leaves

Cocktail Description

This sophisticated sipper transforms humble bar cherries into liquid dessert with a savory herbal twist that'll make you rethink everything you thought you knew about maraschino.

The Cherry Sage Brûlée marries Hennessy cognac with Luxardo cherries, fresh pineapple juice, and verdant vermouth, creating a drink that tastes like a caramelized cherry tart met a botanical garden at a speakeasy. Muddled cherries and bruised sage release oils and sugars that blend with the cognac's warmth and pineapple's tropical brightness, while the maraschino syrup adds a sweet-bitter complexity that ties everything together. The vermouth brings herbaceous notes that play beautifully with the sage, making each sip feel both familiar and surprising.

This is your after-dinner showstopper, perfect for fall evenings when you want something fruit-forward but not cloyingly sweet. The technique is straightforward—muddle, shake, strain—but requires a bit of elbow grease and a fine strainer to catch all those cherry and sage bits. Serve it alongside aged cheeses, dark chocolate desserts, or duck confit; the drink's fruit and herb profile cuts through rich, fatty foods while complementing sweeter finishes.