Kirsch
Kirsch, short for kirschwasser, is a clear cherry brandy. It is dry, strong and smells intensely of cherry with a hint of almond. Here you can read what kirsch is, how to drink it and why it is so useful in the kitchen.
Cherry brandy, without sugar
Kirsch is a fruit brandy: cherries are fermented and the fermented juice is then distilled. Because the cherries are often fermented with their pits, the drink gets a subtle almond note. Kirsch is colorless and usually unsweetened. It is therefore not a liqueur, but a dry, strong spirit.
Kirsch traditionally comes from the Black Forest in Germany, Switzerland and Alsace. There, it is drunk neat after a meal and used in the kitchen: in cheese fondue and in Black Forest gateau. Do not confuse kirsch with cherry liqueur. Cherry liqueur is sweet and red, while kirsch is clear and dry.
In brief
A small bottle for the kitchen
Gall & Gall sells one kirsch: a 10 cl bottle. Exactly enough for a fondue or a cake, and to try it out.
Cuisine Kirsch
Clear, pure-distilled cherry brandy. You smell and taste ripe cherries with a subtle almond note. Made for desserts, cakes, chocolate and cheese fondue, but also enjoyable neat.
Cherry liqueur is sweet and red, while kirsch is clear and dry. Read more about liqueurs on our liqueur page.
Dry, bold and full of cherry
Cherry & almond
A clear, intense aroma of ripe cherries, underpinned by hints of almond or marzipan from the pits.
Dry and strong
Not sweet. The alcohol is clearly noticeable, and the cherry comes through mainly in the aroma and at the back of the mouth.
Warm
A warm, dry finish with cherry and almond that lingers for a while.
Flavor profile of a kirsch at 45%. Kirsch is dry: the fruitiness is in the aroma, not in the sugar.
Three ways to drink kirsch
Kirsch is drunk in small quantities. A few centiliters is enough to smell the cherry.
Neat after a meal
Pour 2 to 3 cl into a small glass, at room temperature or slightly chilled. Smell it first: that is where most of the cherry is.
Glass: tasting glass →For cheese fondue
In Switzerland, people often drink a small glass of kirsch with cheese fondue. Some goes into the fondue itself, and some into the glass.
About the dessert
A splash of kirsch over vanilla ice cream, fresh cherries or fruit salad immediately adds more flavor. Use little: it is strong.
Cooking and baking with kirsch
Kirsch is primarily a cooking spirit. A few classics in which it really makes a difference.
Cheese fondue
Stir a small glass of kirsch into the melted cheese, often together with a teaspoon of cornstarch. It makes the fondue lighter and adds a fresh cherry note.
Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte
Drizzle the chocolate sponge with a little kirsch before adding the cream and cherries. That's how this Black Forest cake is made.
Cherries and chocolate
Soak cherries overnight in a splash of kirsch and sugar. Delicious in chocolate mousse, over ice cream, or on a cheesecake.
The right glass for kirsch
Drink kirsch from a small glass: a shot glass, a liqueur glass, or a tasting glass that keeps the aroma concentrated. These are the glasses we recommend ourselves.
Everything you still wanted to know about kirsch
Can't find your question? Read more about brandy or other liqueurs.
To brandy →What is kirsch?
How much alcohol is in kirsch?
Is kirsch the same as cherry liqueur?
What do you use kirsch for?
How much kirsch do you add to cheese fondue?
Which glass do you use for kirsch?
Buy kirsch
Want the bottle at home right away? Order kirsch online from Gall & Gall.
Prices as of October 9, 2026, as provided by Gall & Gall. You can find the current price and stock at Gall & Gall. Glazen.nl receives a small commission if you buy something through these links; you pay nothing extra. No 18, no alcohol.