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Papua New GuineaFlavors · New Orleans
New Orleans cocktail with rye whiskey or cognac, sugar and the bitter created by Antoine Amédée Peychaud, served in a glass scented with absinthe and a lemon peel. It is the city’s official cocktail by a 2008 state law.
Traditional drink from New Orleans, Luisiana
Also known as: Sazerac cocktail
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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Sazerac — New Orleans, the United States
The Sazerac is New Orleans’ cocktail. It uses rye whiskey or cognac, a little sugar and drops of bitter, stirred with ice and strained into a low glass that has been rinsed with absinthe or an anise liqueur. It is finished with a lemon peel twisted over the glass to release aromatic oil. It is served without ice.
The history of the Sazerac is tied to Antoine Amédée Peychaud, a Creole apothecary who arrived in New Orleans at the end of the 18th century and created the red, aromatic bitter that still bears his name and remains part of the recipe. The cocktail’s name comes from a brand of French cognac served at a bar in the French Quarter in the mid-19th century. Later, rye whiskey came to replace cognac in most of the city’s recipes. Beverage historians dispute the often-repeated claim that it is the oldest cocktail in the United States.
In 2008, a New Orleans state senator proposed making the Sazerac the official cocktail of Louisiana. The proposal was rejected and, after being amended, approved as the official cocktail of the city of New Orleans. The law describes Peychaud’s bitters as a local product known worldwide.
Because absinthe was banned in the United States for nearly a century, until 2007, New Orleans bars began using anise liqueurs instead, and many continue to do so. The Sazerac is served in bars in the French Quarter and downtown, made to order, and should be consumed in moderation, like any alcoholic drink.
New Orleans , Luisiana
Official cocktail of the city of New Orleans by a 2008 state law.
Rye whiskey or cognac, sugar cube or syrup, Peychaud’s bitters, absinthe or an anise liqueur to scent the glass, lemon peel.
In a low glass, without ice, scented with absinthe; the lemon peel is twisted over the glass. Sip slowly and in moderation.
At bars and restaurants, before or after dinner.
Your questions
Rye whiskey or cognac, sugar, Peychaud’s bitters and a glass scented with absinthe or an anise liqueur, with a lemon peel. It is served without ice.
Yes. A 2008 state law made the Sazerac the official cocktail of the city of New Orleans.
Because absinthe was banned in the United States for nearly a century, until 2007. New Orleans bars adopted anise liqueurs during that period, and many have kept the practice.
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