Kirschwasser, or just Kirsch is a clear, colourless brandy from Germany, Switzerland and France, traditionally made from double distillation of morello cherries, a dark-coloured cultivar of the sour cherry. It is now also made from other kinds of cherries. The cherries are fermented completely, including their stones. Unlike cherry liqueurs and cherry brandies, Kirschwasser is not sweet. It is sometimes distilled from fermented cherry juice.

Prunus cerasus is a species of Prunus in the subgenus Cerasus (cherries), native to much of Europe, North Africa and West Asia. It is closely related to the sweet cherry, but has a fruit that is more acidic. Its sour pulp is edible.