Cocktail Series: Sazerac

As the winter months keep coming and we continue to expand our bartending knowledge and skills, we are looking for a cocktail that requires a stocked bar cart and will bring warmth on the chilly evenings. Now it does appear that most winter-themed cocktails contain rye, whiskey, or brandy. But you won’t find us complaining about that. Today we’re bringing you a rye-based cocktail that requires a specific type of bitters and had to make adjustments when one of its ingredients was banned…That’s right, grab your bar cart and get ready to make a Sazerac. We begin our cocktail history lesson today in a New Orleans drug store in the mid-1800s. Did you imagine this is where our Sazerac story would start? Since Sazeracs are made with specific bitters, why not begin with the man who created them? To make a Sazerac, you must use Peychaud's Bitters named after their creator, Antoine Amédée Peychaud. It is speculated that the original Sazerac was made at his drug store using his bitters and Sazerac-de-Forge et fils Cognac. The Sazerac gained fame at the Sazerac Coffee House where absinthe and sugar were added to this signature cocktail. Over time, rye whiskey became the staple instead of the cognac. While absinthe was banned in 1912, that did not stop this cocktail as bartenders used anise-flavored liqueur to rinse the glass instead. If you’re intrigued by this perfect winter cocktail, grab the rye of your choice, Peychaud's Bitters, sugar or syrup, absinthe, and a lemon twist. Don’t forget to upload all of your cocktail creations to Delectable and happy drinking!