Sazerac
Rye, cognac, sugar and Peychaud's bitters in an absinthe-rinsed glass. The drink of New Orleans.
- Time
- 6 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Glass
- Rocks glass
- Strength
- 2.7 UK units
How to make a Sazerac
- Chill the glass. Fill a rocks glass with ice and water and leave it while you make the drink. The glass should be properly cold.
- Make the base. In a mixing glass, crush the sugar cube with the bitters and a splash of water until it is a gritty paste. Add the rye and cognac, then fill with ice.
- Stir until cold. Stir for about 30 seconds, until the mixing glass is frosted and the drink feels silky.
- Rinse and strain. Tip the ice out of the rocks glass, add the absinthe and swirl it around, then tip out the extra. Strain the drink in. Squeeze the lemon peel over the top and discard it.
- Glass
- Rocks glassNo rocks glass? Any short, chilled tumbler.
- Ice
- No ice
- Garnish
- Lemon peel, squeezed over the drink and then discardedOr: Drop the peel in if you prefer.
What you need to make a Sazerac
Kit
JiggerA double-ended measure, usually 25 ml and 50 ml.
Mixing glassAny sturdy jug or pint glass works.
Bar spoonA long teaspoon does the job.
StrainerA Hawthorne strainer fits over the tin or glass.
Vegetable peelerFor wide strips of peel with little pith.
Bottles we'd use
- Peychaud's bittersThere is no swap. It is lighter and more floral than Angostura, and the drink is built around it.Find it on Amazon
- A rye whiskeySazerac Rye is the obvious choice, and easy to find in the UK.Find it on Amazon
- AbsintheOnly a rinse is needed, so a small bottle lasts. Pernod Absinthe is a common option.Find it on Amazon
Links to Amazon are affiliate links: if you buy through them, Bar Bandol may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
The Sazerac story
It is tied to New Orleans, where apothecary Antoine Peychaud made his bitters and the Sazerac Coffee House served cocktails made with Sazerac de Forge et Fils cognac. A common story says the cognac gave way to rye whiskey in the 1870s and 1880s when phylloxera damaged French vineyards. Details of the timeline are disputed. In 2008 Louisiana made it the official cocktail of New Orleans.
This version uses both rye and cognac. Rye brings spice, and cognac adds roundness. The absinthe is a rinse, not an ingredient, so you should smell it before you taste it.
Sazerac: your questions answered
What is in a Sazerac?
A Sazerac is made with 40 ml rye whiskey, 20 ml Cognac, a sugar cube, 3 dashes of Peychaud's bitters and 5 ml absinthe. Garnish: lemon peel, squeezed over the drink and then discarded.
Is a Sazerac shaken or stirred?
A Sazerac is stirred, not shaken. Stirring with ice chills and dilutes it while keeping the drink clear and smooth. Shaking would cloud it and add tiny air bubbles, which suits citrus drinks but not this one.
How strong is a Sazerac?
Made to this recipe, a Sazerac contains about 2.7 UK units of alcohol per drink. That is worked out from typical bottle strengths, so it changes with the bottles you use. UK guidelines advise not regularly drinking more than 14 units a week.
What glass do you serve a Sazerac in?
Serve a Sazerac in a rocks glass. No rocks glass? Any short, chilled tumbler.
