Sazerac

⏳ Time

5 minutes

🥕 Ingredients

🍽️ Servings

Description

The Sazerac gets its name from the brand of cognac that was originally used in the cocktail. According to one version of the story, a New Orleans pharmacist named John began adding his own homemade bitters to this cognac, thus creating one of the world's first cocktails. The phylloxera epidemic led to the disappearance of Sazerac cognac, and now it refers to the rye whiskey that was specifically created for this cocktail.

Ingredients

Irish Whiskey - 2 fl oz
Anise Vodka - 0 fl oz
Peychaud's Bitters - 0 fl oz
Brown Sugar - 1 piece
Citrus Zest Mix - 0.2 oz
Ice - 1 glass

Step by Step guide

Step 1

Chill the glass in which the cocktail will be served by crushing some ice cubes. You can do this in any convenient way. The traditional method is to place the ice in a cloth bag and gently pound it with a mallet. Transfer the crushed ice to the glass, add a few drops of Herbsaint (or absinthe) to infuse the ice with flavor, and set it aside while you prepare the cocktail.

Step 2

Place a piece of brown sugar in a cocktail mixing glass and sprinkle it with Peychaud’s bitters — just about five drops. If you don't have that bitters, you can use Angostura instead. Alternatively, you can opt for an herbal liqueur like Jägermeister or Becherovka. A homemade tincture will also work, but it should have a citrus and anise note.

Step 3

Grind the sugar with a wooden pestle until completely dissolved. (You can add a teaspoon of good mineral water - non-carbonated.) Then mix the syrup with a bar spoon.

Step 4

Pour the whiskey using a jigger. Rye whiskey can be used for a Sazerac, or you can opt for bourbon. Cognac, which was in the original recipe, is also an option. You can even mix cognac with bourbon in a one-to-one ratio.

Step 5

Stir the cocktail and add large ice cubes to the glass — it's convenient to do this with a scoop. To prevent the ice cubes from falling outside the glass, you can hold them with a napkin. The key is to use plenty of ice. Stir the cocktail to chill it.

Step 6

Pour the flavored ice from the reserved glass. Strain the cocktail into that glass using a bar strainer to prevent the ice cubes from getting into the finished Sazerac.