The Sazerac has an awesome, rich history. The drink that came to be known as “America’s First Official Cocktail”, is deeply rooted in our minds and sets a precedent for most of our drink culture when it comes to whiskey.
So, what is a Sazerac?
HISTORY
The Sazerac gets its name from the Sazerac family that emigrated to the US from France. This family of French brought their signature recipe of brandy to New Orleans and began making for their friends and then selling across the state around 1850.
Just about 12 years earlier, a man by the name of Antoine Amedie Peychaud had brought his signature family recipe of bitters to New Orleans to use at his apothecary to serve brandy hot toddies (at that time thought to be medicinal and cure-alls).
The Sazerac company, which is actually named AFTER the drink itself began with the acquisition of The Sazerac Coffee House (a bar in New Orleans) by Thomas Handy in 1869. The rest is history, when Handy began to acquire different liquor brands and build a portfolio with products notable like the Peychaud bitters we know and love behind the bar today!
RECIPE
This recipe is very simple, and has stayed relatively the same for many years. With this recipe in particular, a very slight alteration in the quantity of bitters and use of base spirit in this cocktail really brings it all together:
1 oz (30mL) American rye whiskey
1 oz (30mL) cognac
1 raw sugar cube
10-12 dashes Peychaud bitters
Absinthe rinse
Place all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice. Stir for 30 seconds. My favorite way to prepare the absinthe-rinsed glass is to fill the glass with ice and pour about an ounce of absinthe into the rocks glass. Stir the ice and absinthe in the rocks glass for about 5-8 seconds. This will effectively “rinse” the glass with absinthe. Dump ice and absinthe. Strain cocktail into the chilled rocks glass. Remember, this cocktail is served WITHOUT ice for the final product.
Garnish: NONE
This cocktail is a gem in United States cocktail history and became a staple in most bars today, as these types of drinks are coming back in style.
Enjoy some Sazeracs before dinner, and you will never regret it!
Jonathan Echavarria 