Maraschino is a liqueur obtained from the distillation of Marasca cherries. It has a bitter and dry flavor with moderate sweetness, a moderate cherry flavor, slightly funky notes, and a nutty, almondy base.
Maraschino is unusual in the world of fruit brandies, in that the pits of the fruits are used in the production along with the flesh and juice. In a typical modern facility, crushed cherries, with their pits, are infused in alcohol for several years, and then distilled and rested in wooden barrels or vats. This allows the alcohol to extract many of the flavor compounds contained in the pit. Once it is distilled it is sweetened to bottle strength with simple syrup.
As noted in almond extract, the pits of all the stone fruits contain a wide variety of aromatic compounds, including bitterness and almond aroma. This process gives maraschino an unusually complex flavor profile, making it a key ingredient in a number of cocktails.