The Sazerac is one of America’s very first cocktails. A variation on an Old Fashioned, the Sazerac is really defined by it’s method of preparation, which requires two chilled old-fashioned glasses. The first glass is swirled with a bit of absinthe, and the rest of the ingredients are assembled in the second glass and stirred with ice. The second glass is strained into the first glass, garnished with a lemon peel, and voila! The Sazerac.
Drinking History
This cocktail was developed in New Orleans in the mid-1800s, in an establishment that became known as the Sazerac Coffee House. Originally, it was made with local bitters and a brand of cognac called Sazerac-de-Forge et Fils, which was imported by the former owner of the coffee house and undoubtably influenced the name.
The Sazerac has also been credited to Antoine Amédée Peychaud, the Creole apothecary who dispensed the bitters that were used in the cocktail. He apparently sold his own version of the drink out of his shop.
The cocktail was first mentioned in print in 1908, in “Cocktail Bill” Boothby’s The World’s Drinks and How to Mix Them. He mentions a different type of bitters, but almost every recipe I’ve come across mentions Peychaud’s.
Ch-ch-ch-changes
When a phylloxera epidemic devastated French vineyards in the 1870s, the main ingredient was changed from cognac to whiskey. In 1912, when absinthe was banned in the US, the Sazerac changed again. A variety of anise flavored liqueurs were used in place of the beleaguered spirit, most notably Herbsaint, a local liqueur made with all of the ingredients of absinthe, save for the wormwood. Absinthe became available in the US again in 2007.
Make it official
In 2008, a bill was introduced on the floor of the state senate to proclaim the Sazerac the official cocktail of Louisiana. While that measure was defeated, the legislature decided on a different honor for the drink: on June 23, 2008, the Louisiana Legislature agreed to proclaim the Sazerac as the official cocktail of New Orleans.
Wanna try it at home? Here’s how:
The Sazerac
- 1/4 tsp Absinthe or Herbsaint
- 1/2 tsp Sugar
- 1/4 tsp Peychaud’s bitters
- 2 oz Whiskey
- Lemon Peel
Using two chilled cocktail glasses, swirl the absinthe in one glass until completely coated. Fill the second glass with ice, add the sugar, bitters, and whiskey. Strain the cocktail into the first glass, and garnish with lemon peel.
Drinker’s Corner on YouTube
Since the Sazerac is often considered America’s first cocktail, I thought we’d kick off the inaugural episode of our new YouTube series, Drinker’s Corner, with a toast to the New Orleans favorite. My cohost, Elliot, chose the location – Best Intentions in Logan Square. Their take on the Sazerac is pictured above, and was most delicious.
