4 C. sour cherries, stemmed and pitted
1 1/2 C. sugar, divided
1 vanilla bean, split and scrapped
3/4 C. water
1 / 4 C. bourbon

Mix cherries, 1/2 C. sugar and vanilla bean with seeds in a medium bowl. Let macerate 4 hours to really extract all the juices. Discard vanilla bean. In a medium saucepan stir together cherries with juice, remaining sugar, water and bourbon. Cook over medium-low heat until sugar is completely dissolved. Bring to a slow boil and cook an additional 2-3 minutes until cherries are heated through. Ladle cherries into half-pint jars. Cherries should be packed tightly but not crammed. Cover cherries with syrup leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Process in a boiling water bath for 25 minutes.