Sazerac Recipe
The Sazerac is New Orleans in a rocks glass: bold rye, a cube of sugar, Peychaud's bitters, and a whisper of absinthe that perfumes the whole drink. Stirred, never shaken, and served without ice, it is one of the oldest and most storied cocktails in America.
Ingredients
- 2 ozrye whiskey
- 1 sugar cubeor 1/4 oz simple syrup
- 3 dashesPeychaud's bitters
- 1/4 ozabsinthe, for the rinse
- 1 twistlemon peel
Garnish
- Lemon peel twist, expressed over the glass and discarded or rested on the rim
Equipment: Mixing glass, bar spoon, julep strainer, chilled rocks glass, muddler or spoon for the sugar
Method
- Chill a rocks glass, then add the absinthe and swirl to coat the inside. Toss out the excess or leave just a thin film.
- In a mixing glass, muddle the sugar cube with the Peychaud's bitters until it dissolves into a paste.
- Add the rye whiskey and fill the mixing glass with ice. Stir for about 20 to 30 seconds until well chilled.
- Strain into the prepared rocks glass with no ice.
- Express the lemon peel over the surface, then discard it or rest it on the rim. Serve immediately.
About the Sazerac
The Sazerac claims a serious pedigree: it traces to 1830s New Orleans, where a pharmacist named Antoine Peychaud mixed his family bitters with cognac at his apothecary. The drink took its name from the Sazerac de Forge et Fils cognac it was originally built on, and when phylloxera devastated French vineyards in the late 1800s, bartenders swapped in American rye. Absinthe entered the picture as a rinse, and the combination stuck. In 2008 the Louisiana legislature named the Sazerac the official cocktail of New Orleans, a rare honor for a mixed drink.
Nailing it comes down to two things: a properly chilled glass and a restrained hand with the absinthe. Too much and the anise swallows the rye; a thin coating is all you want. Use a bold, high-rye whiskey so it stands up to the sugar and bitters, and stir rather than shake so the drink stays clear. Peychaud’s is not optional here, its cherry and anise notes are the backbone of the cocktail.
- Chill the rocks glass in the freezer for a few minutes so the drink stays cold without ice dilution.
- Rinse with absinthe, do not pour it in. A little goes a long way and too much turns the drink syrupy.
- Use a high-rye whiskey at 90 proof or above to balance the sugar and bitters.
- Express the lemon peel over the top for aroma, then discard it if you prefer a cleaner sip.
Get the bottles delivered
Order online for same-day or next-day Long Island delivery, free curbside pickup in Commack, or wine shipping where it is legal (spirits are local delivery and in-store pickup only). You must be 21 or older.
