“The Official Sazerac Cocktail”
Sazerac Cocktail
NOTES : In 1838, Antoine Amedie Peychaud, owner of a New Orleans apothecary, treated his friends to brandy toddies of his own recipe, including his “Peychaud’s Bitters,” made from a secret family recipe. The toddies were made using a double-ended egg cup as a measuring cup or jigger, then known as a “coquetier” (pronounced “ko-k-tay”), from which the word “cocktail” was derived. Thus, the world’s first cocktail was born!
By 1850, the Sazerac Cocktail, made with Sazerac French brandy and Peychaud’s Bitters, was immensely popular, and became the first “branded” cocktail. In 1873, the recipe for the Sazerac Cocktail was altered to replace the French brandy with American Rye whiskey, and a dash of absinthe was added.
Servings 1 person
Ingredients
- 1 sugar cube
- 1 1/2 ounces Sazerac Rye Whiskey or substitute with brandy or bourbon
- 1/4 ounce Herbsaint (absinthe) or substitute with Pernod
- 3 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
- Lemon peel
Instructions
- Pack an Old-Fashioned glass with ice.
- In a second Old-Fashioned glass place the sugar cube and add the Peychaud’s Bitters to it, then crush the sugar cube.
- Add the Sazerac Rye Whiskey or Buffalo Trace Bourbon to the second glass containing the Peychaud’s Bitters and sugar.
- Empty the ice from the first glass and coat the glass with the Herbsaint, then discard the remaining Herbsaint.
- Empty the whiskey/bitters/sugar mixture from the second glass into the first glass and garnish with lemon peel.
Notes
Note from Julie: the recipe above is for one cocktail. Dan never makes “one” cocktail. So here’s how he whips up a batch.
Put ice in a shaker. Add in the Sazerac Rye, bitters, and simple syrup (sugar water) using quantities above for each serving. Shake together to chill. Coat the glasses with Herbsaint and toss out the extra Herbsaint. Pour the contents of the shaker into the glasses and garnish with a lemon peel. Cheers.