Red Nemesis

I used to love maraschino cherries when I was little (okay, and I still like them today), but have you ever had REAL maraschino cherries? 

If you haven't, I highly recommend going out and getting some.  They are so delicious.  The syrup in which they are packed is heavy, sweet, and slightly boozy.  They are nothing like the fake, bright red cherries that my sister and I always got as kids in our Shirley Temples.  (Shout out to the Great Wall in Bedford, MA!)

Forrest and I just discovered Jamaican #1 bitters by Bittercube.  An excellent complement to the sweet Luxardo cherries and RR raspberry syrup, the sour citrus, and spicy Rittenhouse Rye in this harmonious cocktail, the Red Nemesis:

2 oz. Rittenhouse Rye
1/2 oz. Royal Rose Raspberry Simple Syrup
1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice
3 Luxardo Maraschino cherries and their syrup (approximately 1/4 oz.)
2-3 drops of Bittercube Jamaican #1

Combine ingredients over ice in a Boston shaker.  Stir emphatically so that all syrups are completely emulsified into the solution.  Strain into a chilled martini glass or coupe. Garnish with the three cherries.