AI-generated illustration.
The Sazerac is a close relative of the Old Fashioned (in French): spirit, sugar and bitters. Two details make the difference. It calls for Peychaud’s bitters, and the serving glass is rinsed with absinthe before the drink goes in. Add the absinthe to the mixing glass instead and it can drown out everything else.
Rye or cognac?
Both versions exist. The IBA recipe uses cognac; this one uses rye whiskey. Rye’s spicy character holds its own alongside Peychaud’s and absinthe. If you prefer cognac, replace the rye with the same amount. You can also use half of each.
The Sazerac has been associated with New Orleans since the nineteenth century. It takes its name from a cognac served there, while the bitters are named after Antoine Peychaud. In 2008, Louisiana even made it the city’s official cocktail. Be wary of accounts that pin the switch from cognac to rye on a single event: cocktail history is seldom that tidy.
The recipe for one drink
Preparation: 4 minutes. Equipment: mixing glass, bar spoon, strainer and a rocks glass.
Ingredients
- 5 cl rye whiskey
- 0.5 cl simple syrup (equal weights of water and sugar)
- 3 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
- About 0.5 cl absinthe to rinse the glass
- A strip of lemon peel
- Ice cubes
Method
- Fill the serving glass with ice to chill it.
- Pour the rye, syrup and bitters into the mixing glass. Fill it with ice and stir for roughly half a minute.
- Empty the serving glass. Pour in the absinthe, swirl it around the inside and discard the excess.
- Strain the drink into the glass, without ice. Express the lemon peel over the drink, then rest it on the rim or remove it.
What makes the difference
You should smell the absinthe without turning the Sazerac into a glass of absinthe. If you pour in too much, empty the glass once more. Herbsaint, used in New Orleans, is another option. Pastis will make a sweeter, more anise-forward drink: an adaptation worth knowing about before you pour.
Peychaud’s is harder to replace. Angostura is an excellent bitter, but it will make a different drink. The ice matters too: stir with ice to chill and dilute, then serve without it. Don’t skip dilution just because the serving glass has no ice.
If you use a sugar cube instead of syrup, crush it with a few drops of water and the bitters until it dissolves. Sugar grains at the bottom of the glass will not dissolve on their own in a cold drink.
For the cocktail’s history and its official status in New Orleans, see Sazerac House.
