From Sparrow’s liqueur list, the Jelinek Cherry Liqueur is a bright, fruit-forward Czech pour, $10 by the pour, or $15 for a larger pour. It is an easy after-dinner choice here in Kirkland’s Juanita neighborhood, and a fun way to explore a European fruit liqueur you do not see on every menu.
About Jelinek Cherry Liqueur
Jelinek is made by Rudolf Jelinek, a historic fruit distillery in Vizovice in the Wallachia region of the Czech Republic. The company was founded in 1894 and builds on a local distilling tradition that goes back more than 400 years, and today it is one of the largest producers of fruit spirits in the country. The house is best known for its plum brandy, but it also crafts a range of fruit liqueurs and brandies from plums, pears, raspberries, cherries, and rowanberries. This cherry liqueur is crafted from cherries grown in the company’s own Bohemian orchards, where Jelinek tends its own plum, apricot, and cherry trees, giving it a concentrated, true-to-the-fruit character.
Tasting Notes
Expect a deep, sweet and slightly tart cherry flavor with a smooth, rounded mouthfeel. The sweetness stays in balance and does not overpower the fruit. Fruit liqueurs like this one typically carry gentle hints of almond and vanilla alongside the ripe cherry, rich without being cloying.
What to Pair It With
This is a natural after-dinner sip, served neat, over a large cube, or poured over a scoop of vanilla. It also lifts a cocktail in place of a heavier cherry syrup, and it is lovely stirred into a glass of sparkling wine. Pour it alongside something sweet from the Sparrow menu and settle into our 21+ lounge with its quartzite bar, or catch it during the daily happy hour, 3 to 5 PM.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Jelinek Cherry Liqueur made from?
It is a cherry liqueur from the Rudolf Jelinek distillery in Vizovice, Czech Republic, made from cherries grown in the producer’s own Bohemian orchards.
Where does Jelinek come from?
The Rudolf Jelinek distillery is in Vizovice, in the Wallachia region of the Czech Republic, and was founded in 1894 on a fruit-distilling tradition more than 400 years old.
How much is a pour of Jelinek Cherry Liqueur at Sparrow?
At Sparrow in Kirkland it is $10 by the pour, or $15 for a larger pour.
Find it on the Sparrow beverages menu near the Jelinek Plum and the Lazzaroni Amaretto. We are in Kirkland’s Juanita neighborhood on the Eastside, so reserve a table and come taste it.