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A hand holding a bottle and pouring liqueur into a shot glass on a gray background.

Višnjevača Cherry Brandy (Sour or Tart Cherry Liqueur)

Aida
Known as višnjevača (višnja or višnjevac), tart cherry liqueur (cherry brandy) is beloved in the Balkans and Western Europe. Only three ingredients are needed!
5 from 4 votes
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Approximated fermentation time 40 days
Total Time 40 days 30 minutes
Course Beverages
Cuisine Bosnian, Croatian, Montenegrin, Serbian

Equipment

  • A couple 64-ounce jars with wide brims. Sizing is optional. All jar sizes work, but you may need more if choosing smaller.
  • A couple of liquor bottles with caps. These are for storing the cherry brandy after fermentation.

Ingredients
  

  • 2.2 pounds granulated white sugar
  • 2.2 pounds sour or tart cherries preferrably fresh
  • 11-16 ounces clear neutral liquor fruit brandy like plum brandy šljivovica is the best, otherwise use vodka or similar clear liquor with neutral flavor

Instructions
 

  • Destem sour (tart) cherries. Get rid of damaged cherries or the ones with worms. Wash the remaining, destemmed cherries. (Optional: keep the stems for making cherry stem tea. Look in the accompanying text for insturctions.)
  • Layer sour cherries and sugar in the jar. Start with sour cherries, then generously cover with a few tablespoons of sugar. Repeat until you fill the entire jar.
  • Slowly pour liquor into the jar over sugar and tart cherries, as much brandy as the jar will take. This process takes a few minutes as the alcohol needs time to work through the cherries and sugar to fill up the remaining jar. Once you're done fasten the lid. Repeat for the remaining jars.
  • Take the jars outside, and leave them in a relatively (or partially) sunny place for at least 40 days, and up to 4-5 months. (The longer you ferment, the sweeter and better the liqueur will be!)
  • Once a week, stir the ingredients so that the sugar dissolves more easily. Open the first jar, and transfer a cup of cherries out of the jar. (Taking a cup of the cherries out first ensures the mixture doesn't spill out, as the jar is usually filled to the max.) Mix the remaining ingredients well with a long-handled spatula. Return the cherries to the jar and fasten the lid. Repeat with the remaining jars and return them to your fermentation spot.
  • After it's fermented, strain the cherry brandy into glass bottles. Keep the remaining sour cherries (although you can transfer a couple to each bottle with the liqueur) to use in a dessert or serve with the liqueur.
  • Serving: serve višnjevača with dessert, coffee, or as an aperitif. Storing: store for up to 2 years in a cool, dark place. Freezing: no!

Video

Notes

  • Note
We highly recommend you at least double the ingredients and do a bigger batch. We do at least about 4-5 times the amount. Višnja is not only a great liqueur, but it's a perfect homemade gift. Trust us, ditch the cookies, show up with cherry brandy, and you're welcome anywhere! 
  • Ingredients:
Sour or tart cherries: Look for ripe tart cherries. Remove the stems, but leave the pits inside. Avoid: sweet cherries or (if you can) frozen tart cherries.
Alcohol: Any homemade fruit brandy works. Local rakija fruit brandy is our preferred choice, particularly plum brandy called šljivovica.
Clear, neutral brandies are ideal for fermentation.
Substitute with vodka or another neutral-tasting clear spirit. The spirits don't have to be of the highest quality. A medium-range vodka or šljivovica will do just fine. 
Sugar: Granulated white sugar is the best option for fermenting cherry brandy.  Substitute with brown sugar or honey, or a combination of.
  • Handling:
Serving: It goes great with dessert, coffee, or as an aperitif. Serve it in small, shot glasses. Consume it by sipping it. 
Storing:  Liqueur: Stored in a liquor cabinet, or a cool dark place (not the fridge!), višnja can last up to 2 years. Cherries: separated from tart cherry liqueur, fermented cherries keep a couple of weeks in the fridge, or a couple of months in the freezer. (The exception to the rule is if you've used frozen cherries to make your cherry brandy. In this case, they should not be refrozen!)
Freezing: don't!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!