Morello Cherry Brandy (Trader Joes)

UPDATE!!! We tasted our Cherry Brandy and I loved it at first taste it was intoxicating with just the perfect balance of sweet and sour and as I was enjoying it my husband says, "It tastes like cough syrup." I just shrugged his comment as him not being as much of an aficionado of food and drink as myself and continued to sip my Cherry Brandy but then it did start to taste kind of like cough syrup......yet I did find a use for it! I made a rum cake and replaced the rum with this cherry brandy it was so yummy that my husband commented on much he enjoyed it. Oh well, you win some you lose some : )

Every time I opened up a jar of those delicious Morello cherries from Trader Joes I thought to myself, "What liqueur could I make from this juice?" Since brandy is my favorite liquor I searched for a cherry brandy drink and found a recipe for vintage cherry brandy. I played around with it and came up with this recipe using the jarred morello cherries and their juice. I just prepared and set up a smaller batch on the shelf for 8 weeks so stay tuned as I will be posting the results in May.
Ingredients
 750 ML bottle of brandy
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup juice from Trader Joes Morello Cherries and all of the cherries from the jar.
Extras
 Some people like to have a few flavorful add ins like: 2-3 cloves, a cinnamon stick, 2-3 cardamom seeds, or  1 very very clean almond pit. I think I like the simpler version.
Tools
1 sterilized jar and tight fitting lid: (The dishwasher can sterilize the jar fine and the lid does not need to be the type used for canning, I used and old jelly jar and lid.)
Directions
Mix the sugar and juice together in a small pot and heat to disintegrate the sugar you want it hot but not boiling I know it's done by titling the pan and when there are no more grains of sugar on the bottom it is done.
Remove from heat and cool completely or else it will kill the alcohol ion the brandy.
Add the sugar/juice to the brandy and cherries into the jar and seal, set aside in a cool dark place for 8 weeks. Just give it a shake every now and then.
Once the 8 weeks is up store in the fridge. You can serve the brandy with the cherries or I think I will prefer to use the cherries separately served on top of ice cream, cheesecake,  pound cake, or......you get the picture : ) I am thinking it will also make a killer Cherry Sangria!