Sazerac
Rye whiskey, sugar and Peychaud's bitters in an absinthe-rinsed glass. New Orleans' official cocktail.
Stirred · Rocks glass · Medium · about 3 minutes · about 33% ABV
Ingredients
- 60 ml Rye whiskey
- 7.5 ml Sugar syrup
- 3 dashes Peychaud's bitters
- 1 dash Absinthe
- Lemon peel (garnish)
Method
- Pour 60 ml rye whiskey into the mixing glass
- Pour 7.5 ml sugar syrup into the mixing glass
- Add 3 dashes of Peychaud's bitters
- Add 1 dash of absinthe
- Add ice
- Stir
- Strain
- Garnish
Tip
Serve with no ice. Squeeze the lemon peel over the top, then discard it.
About the Sazerac
The Sazerac is New Orleans' official cocktail. It grew out of the Sazerac Coffee House in the 1850s, which served cognac cocktails with Peychaud's bitters, made by local pharmacist Antoine Peychaud. After phylloxera devastated French vineyards in the late 1800s, rye whiskey replaced cognac, and an absinthe rinse became part of the ritual.
The Old Fashioned family. In 1806 a New York newspaper defined a "cocktail" as spirits, sugar, water and bitters. By the 1880s drinkers asked for their whiskey "the old-fashioned way", and the name stuck. It is the original cocktail formula: a strong spirit, a little sweetness and bitters, stirred over ice.
Sazerac FAQ
What's in a Sazerac?
60 ml rye whiskey, 7.5 ml sugar syrup, 3 dashes peychaud's bitters, 1 dash absinthe, garnished with lemon peel.
How strong is a Sazerac?
About 33% ABV once mixed with ice, which is 2.2 Australian standard drinks per serve. That is close to a straight spirit, so sip it slowly.
Should I shake or stir a Sazerac?
Stir it. It is made only of spirits and wines, so stirring keeps it clear and silky. Shaking would make it cloudy and frothy.
What glass do you serve a Sazerac in?
A rocks glass, about 300 ml. Serve it over ice. No rocks glass? Use any short, heavy tumbler.
