Sazerac - A Beautiful Mess

Learn to make the official cocktail of New Orleans. This drink is a cousin to the Old Fashioned and is traditionally mixed with rye whiskey or brandy, bitters, sugar, and absinthe. This drink has a history as old as 1838, and the cocktail itself was trademarked in 1900 by the Sazerac Company.

Learning a proper Sazerac recipe at home is a classy move. You will love this timeless drink rich with history.

Classic cocktails: Manhattan, Gimlet, Army & Navy, Bee’s Knees, Sidecar, Cosmo, Boulevardier, Rusty Nail, Negroni.

Ingredients

Absinthe – To rinse.
Sugar Cube – While the classic recipe calls for a sugar cube, you are also welcome to use simple syrup if you have it on hand.
Cold Water – You will need a half teaspoon of cold water to dissolve your sugar cube.
Peychaud’s Bitters – A classic cocktail bitter.
Rye Whiskey – Or alternatively, cognac.
Lemon Peel – For garnish.

The best glassware choice to serve a Sazerac in is a small old fashioned glass. Since this drink is served without ice, a smaller sized rocks glass is the perfect choice.

What does a Sazerac taste like?

A Sazerac cocktail is a strong and stiff whiskey cocktail, with a flavor profile of clove, vanilla, anise, pepper and soft notes of candied spices and citrus. The finish is smooth with hints of licorice. This drink is a classic and a must-try for whiskey fans.

Instructions

Begin by rinsing the inside of your chilled rocks glass with absinthe. Make sure each part of the inside of the glass has been coated, then discard any excess absinthe in the glass. Set aside your absinthe-rinsed glass.

Next, in the bottom of a mixing glass, muddle together the water, sugar cube and 4 dashes of Peychaud’s bitters. Muddle until the sugar cube has been crushed and mostly dissolved.

Add the rye whiskey and ice and stir for about 15 seconds until well chilled.

Strain into your prepared glass.

Last, twist the outside of a lemon peel over your drink and around the rim to express lemon oil. Then use the lemon peel to garnish your drink either over the side of the glass or with a cocktail pick.

Tips for Making

To make this drink properly, you should never shake it in a cocktail shaker. A Sazerac should never be served with ice cubes as this can dilute your drink.
Don’t put the lemon peel into your drink; hang it over the edge or use a cocktail pick as we did to garnish the drink.
Since this drink doesn’t contain any ice, a rocks glass on the smaller side (such as one used for scotch) is a great glassware choice.

Substitutions

Bourbon – For a sweeter drink (more similar to an Old Fashioned), you can swap the rye whiskey for bourbon.
Cognac – Try swapping the rye whiskey for cognac to taste the original, historic version of this recipe. Some people prefer to split the cognac and rye half and half as well.
Herbsaint – Many people like to use this anise-flavored liquor to make an old fashioned Sazerac. During the 1930s, it was used as a replacement for absinthe.

History

The first Sazerac was mixed with French brandy (Sazerac de Forge et Fils Cognac) and over time the main ingredient evolved to be rye whiskey. The first Sazerac was created by Antoine Amédée Peychaud, a pharmacist from Saint-Domingue, which was a French colony in what’s now Haiti. Peychaud moved to New Orleans to open an apothecary that sold many things, including his own namesake product, Peychaud’s Bitters.

Like many cocktail history lessons, Peychaud originally marketed his bitters as a medicinal. He then began combining them with brandy, sugar, and water, then sold elixir as a curative. Healthy or not, the recipe grew in massive popularity into the modern day Sazerac cocktail.

Around 1885, after Europe’s phylloxera epidemic destroyed French vineyards, Peychaud began replacing the brandy for rye whiskey. The rest, as they say, is history.

This drink was made famous at a saloon (or “coffee house” as it was referred to at the time) called the Sazerac House in New Orleans. Historically, it was a men’s only club that opened in 1852. Today, you can still visit the famous bar, Sazerac House, in New Orleans and order this drink.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a Sazerac and an Old Fashioned?

While both drinks are sweetened with sugar and contain bitters, the Sazerac has a base of rye whiskey and the Old Fashioned has a base of bourbon. The absinthe wash also sets the Sazerac apart.

Should a Sazerac use cognac or whiskey?

Modern Sazarac recipes use rye whiskey, while historic recipes before 1930 use cognac or brandy. Either choice is an interesting one and we recommend trying both to compare.

Why is the Sazerac famous?

The Sazerac became the official cocktail of New Orleans in 2008 (and it was unofficially so for decades before that). Many claim that the Sazerac is the oldest American cocktail. It’s a big part of New Orleans cocktail culture and history.

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Learn to make a classic New Orleans Sazerac cocktail at home.

Yield 1 cocktail

Prep 3 minutes

Instructions

Begin by rinsing the inside of your chilled rocks glass with absinthe. Make sure each part of the inside of the glass has been coated, then discard any excess absinthe in the glass. Set aside your absinthe-rinsed glass.
Next, In the bottom of a mixing glass, muddle together the water, sugar cube and 4 dashes Peychaud’s bitters. Muddle until the sugar cube has been crushed and mostly dissolved.
Add the rye whiskey and ice and stir for about 15 seconds until well chilled.
Strain into your prepared glass.
Last, twist the outside of a lemon peel over your drink and around the rim to express lemon oil. Then use the lemon peel to garnish your drink either over the side of the glass or with a cocktail pick.

Notes

To make this drink properly, you should never shake it in a cocktail shaker. A Sazerac should never be served with ice cubes as this can dilute your drink.
Don’t put the lemon peel into your drink; hang it over the edge or use a cocktail pick as we did to garnish the drink.
Since this drink doesn’t contain any ice, a rocks glass on the smaller side (such as one used for scotch) is a great glassware choice.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Sazerac

Amount per Serving

% Daily Value*

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.

Sazerac – A Beautiful Mess