SUMMARY: Volatile components of commercial Montmorency cherry essence boiling above ethanol were extracted from the essence by ether and concentrated by distillation. This concentrate was fractionated by gas chromatography. Individual components were identified using the methods of functional group analysis, gas co‐chromatography, infrared analysis and mass spectrometry. The concentrations of the components in the original essence were estimated. The major components identified were n‐propyl alcohol, isobutyl alcohol, isoamyl alcohol, and benzaldehyde. Minor components identified include n‐butanol, n‐hexanol, a hexenol, benzyl alcohol, α‐terpineol, furfural, isoprene, myrcene and numerous higher terpenes, methyl benzoate, ethyl benzoate, benzyl acetate, ethyl caprylate, ethyl caprate, n‐propyl benzoate, isobutyl benzoate, isoamyl benzoate and di‐butyl phthalate.