Trying Cherry B: A Retro Cherry Wine Taste Test
31st December 2025 - New Experience Number 52.
Trying Cherry B was not something I ever expected to do… until it became my final “new thing” of 2025.
Certainly not the hardest challenge I’ve tried, but it was new to me – and that’s what counts.
The Final New Thing Of 2025
It had been a weird few days – mostly involving me realising I’d once again left too many “new things” to the last minute like some kind of bizarre self-inflicted advent calendar.
The previous year in 2024, I rounded off my 52 new things challenge by sampling two retro drinks I’d never tried before, Snowball and Babycham.
Finishing off 2025 with another retro tipple, it seems I may have given myself a new, new year’s tradition!
What On Earth Is Cherry B?
Cherry B is one of those drinks that feels like it belongs in a different era. It was popular in the 60s and 70s, before quietly fading into the background and falling out of fashion. It hasn’t suddenly had a resurgence in popularity, but I spotted it in the local supermarket and decided I should give it a try.
Cherry B is essentially cherry-flavoured wine in a format that suggests it’s not here to be taken too seriously. You won’t find it nestled amongst other 750cl bottles of wine, as this usually comes in a pack of 4 smaller 200ml bottles.
It’s often drunk neat, but the packaging suggests it can be enjoyed over ice, or turned into a longer drink by mixing it with lemonade.
I tried to find out a bit about the history of Cherry B, but there was limited information available.
However I did discover that it was apparently a key component in the ‘leg over’ cocktail, where it was mixed with cider. That sounds like some sort of firewater with questionable life choices involved!
The Taste
Inhaling the lovely cherry aroma gave me high hopes for this drink.
Taking a sip, it started off dangerously easy to drink – sweet, warming, and surprisingly enjoyable, until the sharper aftertaste reminded me it was, in fact, still wine.
My taste buds briefly believed they were savouring a sweet cherry juice rather than a fortified wine with 11.5% alcohol content.
It was a pleasant drink, but I only wanted one bottle as it was quite heavy going and the sweetness made me crave something to counter-balance it.
I think it’s best as a slow, long drink rather than something you enthusiastically knock back.
Would I Have Another Cherry B?
Well, I had a pack of 4 and I don’t like waste, so I have already had another one, for research purposes of course.
It’s not something that will regularly find its way into my shopping basket, but I can see me buying it again for a nostalgic party or as a conversation starter at a gathering.
Trying New Things Is Sometimes Just About Being Open And Curious
Since I started trying 52 new things in 2018, it’s made me proactive in sampling new tastes and flavours.
It’s so easy to stick to our default choices when it comes to food and drink, but it’s also a really simple way to try something new.
We can become creatures of habit, and I absolutely get it. Why risk trying something we might not like, when we can order something which we are confident we will like and guaranteed to enjoy?
Food and drink is one of the easiest ways to try something new. It’s low effort, low risk, and often surprisingly interesting. Sometimes you discover something you love, sometimes you don’t, but either way it’s a simple way to break out of your usual routine.
What is something retro that you could try?
Want To Try It Yourself?
- You’ll just need to find somewhere that sells Cherry B if you want to try it.
- Or you could have a look for other retro drinks that you could try.
Cost Of Experience
- I bought my Cherry B from B&M.
- The pack of 4 bottles cost £7.50
Recommendations
- Please drink responsibly. It is an alcoholic tipple and it is quite strong.
- It’s a good winter drink. It’s got a nice warming quality to it so why not try it as an unusual Christmas drink?
- Cheers! Let me know what you think if you do give it a try.