Sazerac

Sazerac: an Old Fashioned with Peychaud’s and an absinthe glass

The Sazerac is the official cocktail of New Orleans. Antoine Peychaud, an apothecary, sold his aromatic bitters in the 1830s, and the drink built around them originally used cognac; rye took over after phylloxera destroyed the French brandy vineyards in the 1870s. Absinthe arrived as a rinse, and Herbsaint replaced it when absinthe was banned in the United States in 1912.

Exact measures

Method, step by step

Chill a small rocks glass in the freezer. Add 5 ml of absinthe, swirl it to coat the inside wall, then tip the excess out; a pool at the bottom will dominate everything else. In a mixing glass, muddle the sugar with the bitters and two or three drops of water, then add the rye and plenty of ice. Stir for 20-25 seconds, long enough to chill and dilute without flattening the whiskey. Strain into the prepared glass with no ice.

Express a wide lemon peel over the surface and discard it, or drop it in for a brighter, more citrus-forward drink.

How strong is it, and how sweet?

With a 45% rye and a 4 g sugar cube, a Sazerac lands around 34% ABV after stirring, with roughly 27 ml of pure alcohol and 180 kcal. Serve it as an aperitif or a nightcap; in New Orleans it goes with raw oysters.

Choosing the rye and handling the absinthe

• A 95% rye mash bill brings pepper and dill and keeps the drink lean; a barely-legal rye near 51% is rounder and sweeter.
• Bourbon makes a softer, sweeter Sazerac; cognac takes you back to the pre-1870s original.

Sazerac FAQ

Can I make a Sazerac without absinthe?

Yes. Herbsaint is the traditional New Orleans substitute, and pastis such as Pernod or Ricard works at a few drops.

Can I use bourbon instead of rye?

You can, and it makes a rounder, sweeter Sazerac. Rye is the modern standard because its pepper and spice stand up to the sugar.

Why is my Sazerac too sweet?

The cube was too large, or it was not fully dissolved. Drop to half a cube.