Stirred · 1850s
Sazerac
New Orleans in a glass: rye, sugar, Peychaud's, and an absinthe-rinsed vessel.
Specification
| Rye whiskey | 60 ml |
| Sugar syrup 2:1 | 7.5 ml |
| Peychaud's bitters | 4 dashes |
| Absinthe | rinse |
| Lemon twist | 1, discarded |
Method
- 01Rinse a chilled rocks glass with absinthe, discard the excess.
- 02Stir rye, sugar and Peychaud's over ice for 25 seconds.
- 03Strain into the rinsed glass — served without ice.
- 04Express a lemon twist over the top and throw the peel away.
Where it comes from
Named after a French brandy that was its original base, the Sazerac shifted to rye when phylloxera destroyed the vineyards. It is the only classic where the garnish is used for its oils and then deliberately discarded.
If you change one thing: Serve it neat and cold, not on the rocks. Continued dilution flattens the anise aromatics that make the drink worth the trouble.