Kirsch Rose Cocktail

Name: Kirsch Rose Cocktail
Prep time: 5 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 ounces Kirsch; 1 ounce dry vermouth; 1 ounce grenadine; Optional: maraschino cherry for garnish (a luxardo is my favorite!)

One sip of a Kirsch Rose Cocktail and you’ll feel like you’re in Paris! Sweet, aromatic, and feminine, this vintage-style shaken cocktail is perfect for classy parties and small get-togethers.

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Prep Time: 5 minutes

A Kirsch Rose Cocktail Recipe in in a coupe glass. The liquid is a deep red and there is a linen behind the glass and cherries to the left of it.

One sip of a Kirsch Rose Cocktail and you’ll feel like you’re in Paris! Sweet, aromatic, and feminine, this vintage-style shaken cocktail is perfect for classy parties and small get-togethers.

a deep red cocktail in a coupe glass with a luxardo cherry on a copper cocktail pic

A classy, sweeter cocktail for you and your friends

It’s your turn to host the party, which means plenty of drink options! Some friends like aromatic, slightly bitter cocktails (I’m looking at you, Negroni lovers) and others prefer drinks on the sweeter side. This Kirsch Rose Cocktail is for them!

This Parisian rose cocktail is made with 3 simple ingredients that are always welcome on your bar cart:

Kirsch
Vermouth
Grenadine

This combination leaves you with a cocktail that features sweet, floral, citrus, and cherry flavors. There’s a slight bite in each sip but the cherry from the kirsch and sweet grenadine balance it out. Pair this vintage-style cocktail with Baked Goat Cheese Balls, Cranberry Brie Crostinis, and Parmesan Toasts and enjoy the party!

The history of rose cocktails

Rose cocktails are inherently French, romantic, and feminine (although everyone is welcome to a glass). Invented during the roaring 20s, the very Parisian flavors come from a blend of kirsch, dry vermouth, and sweet simple syrup or grenadine. Although there is no rosewater or flower petals in the actual drink, the effervescence and color are still very rose-like.

Inspired by the original rose cocktail

Just like my Seventh Heaven and Abbey cocktails, this rose cocktail recipe was born out of inspiration from The Savoy Cocktail Book. It’s my favorite cocktail book that’s full of old school recipes!

Originally named French Style Rose Cocktail No. 3, this rose cocktail is similar to a handful of other Parisian cocktails in the book. The English Rose Cocktail, French Style Rose Cocktail No. 1, and French Style Rose Cocktail No. 2 are all made with different blends of cherry brandy, kirsch, gin, grenadine, and vermouth, which capture very French flavors in every sip.

close up of a deep red cocktail in a coupe glass with a luxardo cherry on a copper cocktail pic

Kirsch cocktail ingredients

This kirschwasser cocktail is made with just 3 easy ingredients! When you’re done, keep the bottles on your bar cart so you can enjoy a rose cocktail at all kinds of parties and get-togethers:

Kirschwasser

Kirschwasser (AKA kirsch), meaning “cherry water” in German, is distilled from cherries. It’s an unsweetened clear brandy with a strong cherry flavor, a fragrant fruity aroma, and subtle bitter notes. It’s one of the necessary ingredients in a black forest cake, as well as other cherry-flavored desserts and cocktails.

Try not to skip the kirsch or replace it with anything else. It may be tempting to pick up a bottle of cherry liqueur instead, but the flavors in the drink will be completely thrown off and overly sweet!

Dry vermouth

The flavor of dry vermouth adds significant body and balance to all kinds of cocktails and martinis. It’s made from fortified wine, giving it an aromatic essence.

You’ll see two kinds of vermouth at the liquor store: dry and sweet. They cannot be used interchangeably here because balance is so important to each sip. If you were to replace dry vermouth with sweet vermouth, the sweet cocktail would end up with an ill-fitting earthy flavor.

Grenadine

This sweet and tart pomegranate syrup gives the cocktail its signature sweetness and deep red color. Consider using a real grenadine like one from Jack Rudy or Stirrings.

If you can’t find grenadine, feel free to replace it with strawberry or raspberry simple syrup instead.

Don’t forget the garnish

This kirsch cocktail would be perfectly complemented with a fresh cherry or Luxardo maraschino cherry!

a deep red colored cocktail in a coupe glass with a luxardo garnish and cherries in the background

Frequently asked questions

How do you drink Kirsch?

Kirsh is best enjoyed in cocktails and baking, however, it can be sipped on its own in a small glass as an apéritif.

Can you substitute cherry liqueur for kirsch?

No, I don’t recommend substituting cherry liqueur for kirsch because liqueur is much sweeter than kirsch. If you were to make this substitution, the cocktail would be overly sweet and not as balanced.

Do you need to shake this cocktail?

Thoroughly shaking this cocktail with ice will help melt the ice and dilute the strong flavors. This is imperative to the balance!

You’ll need a cocktail shaker for this step. My favorite cocktail shaker is the Boston Shaker because it seals perfectly and makes you feel like a fancy bartender! If you don’t have one, you can use a sealed mason jar or a container with a lid in a pinch.

Can I make a large batch of this cocktail recipe?

Make sure to look over my Guide to Batching Cocktails for Parties before making a large batch of kirsch rose cocktails. It has crucial information about achieving the same flavors as a concentrated, smaller cocktail. When it’s ready, pour the pitcher of rose cocktails into chilled cocktail glasses and enjoy!