The Sazerac. This classic cocktail is 160 years old this year. It was invented in New Orleans in 1850. At first, brandy was the chief ingredient, but when France's grape crops were wiped out by phylloxera, American whiskey became the spirit of choice. The cocktail has endured as a whiskey drink ever since, with few changes.
One change is that until the early 20th century, absinthe was one of the ingredients. After absinthe was banned in the US in 1912, the de rigueur substitute for a proper Sazerac was a pastis called Herbsaint. Now that absinthe has been re-legalized in the US (as of 2007), it's no longer necessary to use Herbsaint.
Another defining feature of the Sazerac is the use of Peychaud's bitters. Along with the Seelbach Cocktail, it's one of a handful of drinks to use this ingredient.
Another feature is that, along with the Old Fashioned, it's one of a handful of drinks that fit the original definition of "cocktail": spirit, bitters, sugar, and a splash of water to dissolve the sugar.
Here's how to make it:
2 oz. American whiskey (rye or bourbon)
1 cube sugar
A few dashes of Peychaud's bitters
A splash of bottled water
Absinthe or Herbsaint
A twist of lemon peel
First, place a sugar cube in a rocks glass, and add enough Peychaud's bitters to saturate it. Then add a splash of bottled water. Muddle these ingredients until it forms a rich syrup. Then fill the glass with ice and add the whiskey (I prefer rye whiskey), and stir. Next, coat the sides of a second rocks glass with absinthe, and discard the excess. Strain the mixture from the first glass into the second glass. Then twist a piece of lemon peel over the drink to release the oils onto the surface, and hang the twist over the rim. Voila!
