Sazerac co*cktail Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between an Old Fashioned and a Sazerac? ›

An Old Fashioned contains Bourbon, while the Sazerac favors rye whiskey. Both contain sugar and bitters, but a traditional Old Fashioned tends to use Angostura bitters. while the Sazerac demands New Orleans's own Peychaud's Bitters, which was integral in the creation of the drink.

The absinthe is only used for a glass rinse, so you just need a tiny bit, but if you can't find it or don't want to invest so heavily in a bottle, you could substitute Pernod, anisette, or ouzo. The bitters that are used for a classic Sazerac are Peychaud's.

Full of rich flavors, this authentic American rye whiskey is a symbol of the timeless history of New Orleans and the legacy of Thomas H. Handy. Made at our esteemed Buffalo Trace Distillery, Jim Murray's Whisky Bible named it Rye of the Year and World Whiskey of the Year.

In 1992, Sazerac acquired the George T. Stagg Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, at which time the company's primary focus became the production of bourbon whiskey, a product that is primarily distilled, aged, and bottled in Kentucky, later changing its name to the Buffalo Trace Distillery in 1999.

The Old Fashioned is known to traditionally call on bourbon as its base, while the modern Sazerac favors rye whiskey. Bourbon tends to be sweeter, while the rye offers a more peppery profile. The reason this choice works so well for the Sazerac has to do with the drink's absinthe rinse.

Absinthe Legalized in 2007

In October 2007 the TTB issued new guidelines that made Absinthe containing thujone legal as long as the bottle contained less than 10 parts per million of thujone. In there words, if it contained less than this amount it was considered “thujone free” and was therefore legal.

Because of its popularity, the Temperance League lobbied against absinthe due to the high rate of alcohol related crime and false claims that it made you hallucinate or “go crazy” (which it did not). Absinthe was banned in most of Europe between 1905 and 1910, and the United States followed in 1912.

Wormwood, or artemisia absinthium, the plant that gives absinthe its name, does contain a chemical compound called thujone that allegedly has hallucinogenic properties. But the thujone content of absinthe is – and always was – so low that you'd pass out or die of alcohol poisoning long before you felt those affects.

The Sazerac is considered by many to be America's oldest co*cktail. Made with rye whiskey, Peychaud's bitters, absinthe, sugar, and a lemon peel, it's a true classic.

Sazeracs are served up, i.e. not on ice, but in a rocks glass which is fairly unusual. It's quite nice though, because if you have any cute glasses which are too small for Old Fashioneds, now is their time to shine!

What is the oldest co*cktail in New Orleans? ›

Because of this, New Orleans's own Sazerac is widely considered the world's first co*cktail, as it's the oldest known co*cktail that can be recognized by name.

Official co*cktail of New Orleans

After further debate, on June 23, 2008, the Louisiana Legislature agreed to proclaim the Sazerac as New Orleans' official co*cktail.

Made from rare, top-shelf ingredients that nod at the Sazerac's origins (both the co*cktail's and bar's), this glass of booze rings in at a whopping $125. But before you write off its three-figure price tag, consider all that goes into the drink, including its legendary history.

Released only once a year, Sazerac 18-Year-Old and Thomas H. Handy Sazerac are two highly coveted whiskeys among whiskey aficionados — bottles of the former can retail for up to $2,500; the latter reaching prices over $800.