Sazerac: A New Orleans Classic

The Sazerac is a classic New Orleans cocktail with a full, notable history dating all the way back to the 19th century when the cocktail was originally made with Cognac brandy. The cocktail actually gets its name from the brand of Cognac that was first featured in the drink, Sazerac de Forge et Fils. The drink is served up in glass swirled with a wash of absinthe, or Herbsaint substitute, to give the cocktail its potent scent and flavor.

The Inventor

The true inventor of the “cocktail” is still debated by many, but Antoine Peychaud, a Creole apothecary from New Orleans, is often credited as the inventor and the creator of the Sazerac. He would often mix bitters, similar to the ones used in the Sazerac, in his French Quarter shop to help ailing people.

Closer to the turn of the century, Cognac became harder to come by due to the phylloxera epidemic in Europe. Around this time bartenders began substituting the Cognac for rye whiskey, and this mixture still carries on in many Sazerac recipes today.

Making the Sazerac

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon sugar
3 or 4 dashes Peychaud's Bitters
a few drops water
2 ounces rye whiskey (such as Sazerac Rye)
1 teaspoon Herbsaint, Pernod, pastis, or absinthe
lemon peel

Directions:

Chill an Old Fashioned glass or small tumbler in your freezer.
In a mixing glass, combine sugar, Peychaud’s Bitters, and a few drops of water. Mix until sugar is dissolved, and add rye. Add plenty of ice, and stir for about 30 seconds.
Pour Herbsaint, pastis, or absinthe into your chilled glass, and rotate glass until the inside is well coated; discard the excess. Strain the liquid from your mixing glass into the serving glass. Twist a piece of lemon peel over the drink. Indulge.

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