Black Cherry Breeze Cocktail

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
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Updated on 12/28/21
Black Cherry Breezer Cocktail

The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail

When you have a bottle of black cherry vodka, it can be tricky to find a cocktail that puts it to good use. The black cherry breeze is one recipe that celebrates the unique flavor, adding simple accents to create a fruity vodka martini that's a delight to sip.

This recipe is incredibly easy and it relies on nothing more than grenadine and lemon juice. While black cherry tends to be less medicinal than regular cherry vodkas because the fruit is naturally sweeter, the sweet and sour additions make it even more drinkable. The drink mixes up quickly and is a nice choice for quiet summer evenings on the patio.

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a cocktail shaker, pour the black cherry vodka, grenadine, and lemon juice. Fill with ice.

  3. Shake well.

  4. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

  5. Garnish with a maraschino cherry. Serve and enjoy.

Tips

  • Not the most common flavor, there are a few vodka brands that produce black cherry vodka. Among the best and easiest to find are Effen and Grey Goose (Cherry Noir), though it's also available from other brands, including a number of small craft distilleries.
  • Freshly squeezed lemon juice is preferred in this recipe because many bottled options are sweetened. You can simply squeeze the juice of a large lemon wedge into the shaker. If it's too sweet for you on the first sip, add a little more.
  • Since this cocktail focuses on the cherry, upgrade your garnish to real maraschino cherries. Those from companies like Luxardo are actually a beautiful black color, a perfect fit for the vodka.
  • When the fruit is in season (typically spring), use a fresh cherry garnish. You can even preserve those for the future by making your own maraschinos.

Recipe Variations

  • This drink is also great served on the rocks in an old-fashioned glass.
  • You can make it taller by topping it with ginger ale or another lightly flavored soda.
  • If you're going to use cherry vodka, it might be a little tarter than black cherry. In this case, add a little more grenadine to sweeten it up.
  • A black cherry rum is also a great substitute for the vodka.

How Strong Is a Black Cherry Breeze?

Like most fruity vodka martinis, the black cherry breeze is a pretty strong drink. That's easy to forget when you're enjoying the sweet taste, but this cocktail mixes up to 27 percent ABV (54 proof). One too many and you're looking at a drunken night and the potential for a nasty hangover in the morning.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
166 Calories
0g Fat
18g Carbs
1g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 166
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 4mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 18g 6%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 14g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 6mg 28%
Calcium 12mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 156mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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