The Sazerac is rumored to be the very first cocktail ever created. Though this may not really be true, it makes for a nice story anyway. Peychaud’s bitters proudly take the stage along with bold and spicy supporting characters played by rye whiskey and Herbsaint. While this line up is generally recognized as the classic Sazerac today, the original version casted Cognac and a hint of Absinthe, before it was banned from performing. We enjoyed our first Sazeracs appropriately in New Orleans, but after returning home we wanted to recreate the drink ourselves using Cognac and now legally available Absinthe. This combination is just as nice, especially if you’re a fan of cognac, and opens up its flavors gradually as you allow the glass to warm up in your hand.
Sazerac Cocktail
Our recipe:
1 Sugar cube
Peychaud’s Bitters (a few dashes)
2 oz. Cognac
Absinthe or Herbsaint (a few drops)
Twist of Lemon
Fill one old fashioned or low ball glass with ice and set aside. Place one sugar cube in another glass and saturate with a few drops of Peychaud’s bitters. Muddle with a wooden drink muddler (or the handle of a wooden mixing spoon) until dissolved. Add Cognac and a few ice cubes, stir and chill. Discard the ice in the first glass, then coat the bottom and sides with just a few drops of Absinthe by swirling and rotating the glass until a thin layer remains. Strain the chilled Cognac and bitters into this glass. Add a drop or two of lemon oil from a twist of lemon rind. Get one classic book or movie, and sip drink slowly until glass is empty. Repeat.
