Sazerac Recipe: The Cocktail with Absinthe

Absinthe Cocktail "Sazerac": The history

To uncover the meaning of the name "Sazerac," we have to go back to 1850 when Sewell Taylor sold his bar, The Merchants Exchange Coffee House, located in the New Orleans area. He did this to focus on importing a specific French cognac brand called Sazerac-de-Forge et Fils (Sazerac of Forge and Son). At the same time, Aaron Bird, the buyer of the bar, changed its name to Sazerac Coffee House. This is when Bird began serving his signature cocktail, the "Sazerac." He used Taylor's imported Sazerac Cognac, a dash of French absinthe (remember, we are in New Orleans, a city founded by the French), and a few drops of bitters made by Mr. Peychaud's local pharmacy. The brand "Peychaud Bitters" still exists today, and these bitters are among the most famous cocktail bitters worldwide.

Unfortunately, in the 1870s, due to the phylloxera epidemic in Europe, which devastated French vineyards, the new bar owner Thomas Handy replaced the expensive and rare cognac with Rye Whiskey (we recommend the classic preparation with cognac). Before his death in 1889, he wrote down the recipe, which first officially appeared in the cocktail book "The World's Drinks and How to Mix them" in 1909. Due to the prohibition of absinthe in 1912, absinthe was also temporarily replaced by Herbsaint, an anise-flavored liqueur. However, since absinthe has been re-legalized, the Sazerac can and should once again be prepared with real absinthe.

Sazerac Recipe and Preparation

To prepare a "Sazerac," you don't just mix all the ingredients together. You have to follow a very specific order and technique. That's the secret of the drink. We'll tell you what ingredients you need and how to prepare it correctly.

You will need these ingredients and bar accessories. The quantities are for one drink:

• 50 ml Cognac
• 10 ml Absinthe, we recommend a strong absinthe, e.g., Absinthe Heritage Verte, or even better 60 drops of ALANDIA Wormwood Bitters (this sounds like a lot, but 60 drops are just 3 ml)
• 1 sugar cube (or sugar syrup)
• Two dashes of Peychaud's Bitters
• Two Tumbler glasses

How to mix it:

• Take the first tumbler glass, add the absinthe, and swirl it to coat the walls of the glass with the spirit.
• Mix all other ingredients in the second glass, add ice cubes, and stir until the mixture is well chilled.
• Pour the mixture into the first glass (without the ice cubes).
• Garnish the Sazerac with lemon zest, which you attach to the rim of the glass.

How the Sazerac with Absinthe tastes

The Sazerac is strong in flavor, as you essentially don't use any filler apart from a little melted ice. The drink is also very aromatic, as the cognac, absinthe, and bitters are intensely flavored. This combination is precisely what makes this drink special. Its strength and aroma make it something to sip and enjoy slowly. For example, it's the perfect digestif. As an aperitif (on an empty stomach), it's a bit strong...

We would love to hear about your experiences with this wonderful cocktail!

Mike from the ALANDIA Team