Follow this Sazerac cocktail recipe and craft the official cocktail of New Orleans at home.
We say yes.
Not only does the Sazerac cocktail sip like a dream but, with ingredients that include absinthe and Peychaud’s bitters, it also tastes like New Orleans in a glass.
What Is a Sazerac Cocktail?
The Sazerac really isn’t all that different from another classic cocktail, the Old Fashioned. Both Pre-Prohibition cocktails are boozy sippers made with a dark liquor, bitters and a sugar cube.
However, while a typical Old Fashioned is made with bourbon and Angostura bitters, the Sazerac replaces those ingredients with rye and Peychaud bitters and adds an absinthe (or pastis or Herbsaint) rinse for good measure.
But make no mistake. The Sazerac isn’t an Old Fashioned rip-off. How could it be? The Sazerac cocktail was invented in New Orleans decades before anybody ever sipped an Old Fashioned anywhere.
Discover more of our favorite Pre-Prohibition cocktails.
History of the Sazerac Cocktail
The Sazerac’s history dates back to the 19th century when the (now closed) Sazerac Coffee House first served the cocktail that Antoine Peychaud allegedly created at his French Quarter apothecary. His recipe included Sazerac-de-Forge et Fils cognac, absinthe and a secret blend of bitters. Almost a century later, Peychaud’s signature blend remains a key ingredient in any proper Sazerac. The other ingredients, not so much.
While we use absinthe in our Sazerac recipe, other recipes replace the potent anise-flavored spirit with France’s pastis or New Orleans’ Herbsaint. The reason for this recipe alteration goes back to 1912 when the US banned the sale of absinthe due to a concern that La Fee Verte (i.e. The Green Lady) caused hallucinations.
Although that hallucinogenic concern was disproved and absinthe eventually returned to the American marketplace with reduced thujone (found in wormwood) levels in 2007, not everybody in New Orleans got the memo. They continue to craft Sazeracs with Herbsaint, a local favorite, instead of absinthe.
Buy a copy of Tim McNally’s The Sazerac if you want to dig deeper into the classic cocktail’s past.
Perhaps the Sazerac would have achieved more widespread popularity had absinthe not been banned for almost a century. We’ll never know for sure. But we do know that the boozy beverage never lost its luster in its home city.
In 2008, the Louisiana’s senate made the Sazerac’s the state’s official cocktail. More recently, in 2019, the Sazerac House opened a multi-floor exhibition celebrating the cocktail’s history and offering Sazerac samples to all who take a free tour.
Make an appointment to tour the Sazerac House.
Ingredients
The Sazerac’s ingredient is relatively short considering the cocktail’s big flavor. Here’s everything you need to craft a classic Sazerac at home:
Ingredient quantities are detailed in the printable recipe card below.
How to Craft a Sazerac Cocktail
Before you start crafting a Sazerac, you’ll want to fill a lowball glass (also known as an old fashioned glass) with ice cubes and set it aside.
The first step is to drop a sugar cube into a second low ball glass and add four dashes of Peychaud’s bitters.
Muddle the sugar and bitters to create a sludge.
Measure the rye whiskey in a jigger. We use a Japanese jigger to ensure accurate measurement and avoid spillage.
Buy a Japanese jigger from Amazon if you need a jigger or want an inexpensive upgrade.
Immediately pour the rye whiskey into the second lowball glass with the sugar-bitters sludge.
Gently stir to integrate the ingredients. Briefly set this lowball glass aside.
Empty the ice from the first lowball glass.
Measure and pour a half ounce of absinthe and pour it into the chilled glass. Swirl the glass so that the absinthe coats the glass’s interior.
The next step is to discard the absinthe. While you could hypothetically pour the absinthe down the drain, the better option is to drink the green liqueur.
Strain or pour the liquid from the second lowball glass into the chilled, absinthe-coated lowball glass.
The final step is to express the glass by rubbing the lemon peel around the rim before dropping it into the glass.
Be sure to express the glass that you’ll be sipping!
Variations
The Sazerac cocktail is a beloved classic in New Orleans and beyond. However, we won’t judge you if you prefer crafting one of the following variations:
Discover 10 essential bar tools for the home mixologist.
Frequently Asked Questions
The official cocktail of New Orleans, a Sazerac is similar to an Old Fashioned. The boozy beverage is crafted with rye, Pechaud bitters and absinthe.
The Sazerac was invented in New Orleans.
The Sazerac Bar is the bar most associated with the Sazerac cocktail. This bar is located in the Roosevelt Hotel near Canal Street.
Rye Whiskey, Absinthe or Herbsaint, Peychaud’s Bitters, a Sugar Cube, Lemon Peel (garnish) and Ice Cubes
The Sazerac is stirred, not shaken .
We like to serve this cocktail in a lowball glass and you should do the same.
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Fill a lowball glass with ice and set it aside.
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Drop sugar cube into a second lowball glass. Add bitters and muddle until the sugar and bitters are fully integrated.
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Add rye whiskey and gently stir.
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Empty ice from the first glass. Pour absinthe into the empty glass and swirl around so that the inside of the glass develops a light absinthe coating. Discard the absinthe.
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Pour the liquid from the second glass into the first glass.
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Express the glass with the lemon peel before adding it as garnish.
- Feel free to drink the discarded absinthe.
- You can replace the absinthe with either pastis or herbsaint if you can’t find absinthe where you live.
- You can alternatively use a coupe glass instead of a lowball glass.
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