The Sazerac, its history and how to prepare this classic cocktail

By Marie-France 12.10.2022

A classic, the Sazerac is one of the oldest cocktails in the United States, dating back to the 1830s. We tell you more about it here.

A delicious cocktail, the Sazerac consists of a mixture of rye whiskey, bitters, sugar and absinthe or, failing that, pastis.

The classic cocktail was created when Antoine Peychaud, a Creole pharmacist, invented the recipe and began to serve it. Partly the creation of the cocktail created the fame of Peychaud’s pharmaceutical business. At that time, Peychaud used French brandy, which was gradually replaced by rye whiskey.

Today, Sazerac is experiencing a renaissance, with Kentucky distilleries such as Buffalo Trace recreating the recipe with various rye whiskeys.

Close to the Old Fashioned, Sazerac is also made with cognac, which adds a fruity or floral touch, unlike the rye versions.

It is necessary to use equal parts cognac and rye and both liqueurs work very well together. The absinthe adds a licorice taste and we end up creating a bold, smooth and vigorous cocktail.

Sazerac recipe – via liquor.com

Ingredients

Absinthe to rinse the glass

1 sugar cube

1/2 teaspoon of cold water

3 dash Peychaud’s bitters

2 dash Angostura bitters

11/4 ounces rye whiskey

11/4 ounces cognac

Garnish: lemon peel

Type of glass: Old Fashioned -chilled-.

Preparation: first, rinse the glass with absinthe, and make sure there is no excess.

Then, in a mixing glass, crush the sugar, water and bitters. Add the rye and cognac, add ice and mix until cold. Strain into the glass, and twist the lemon peel over the surface of the drink to squeeze the oils from the peel. Finally, garnish with the shell as a garnish.

Don’t drink and drive. Enjoy responsibly.