The Unforgettables IBA
Sazerac
New Orleans, chilled
New Orleans in a glass. The absinthe-rinsed glass perfumes every sip while rye and Peychaud's bitters create something aromatic, bracing, and deeply satisfying. America's first cocktail. (The IBA spec calls for cognac, the original base; rye became standard after the 1870s phylloxera blight and is the modern pour.)
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 oz Rye Whiskey
- 1 Sugar Cube
- 2 dashes Peychaud's bitters
- 1 barspoon Absinthe
Method
Rinse a chilled rocks glass with absinthe, discarding the excess. In a mixing glass, muddle the sugar cube with Peychaud's bitters and a few drops of water. Add rye whiskey and ice, then stir until well-chilled. Strain into the prepared glass (no ice). Express a lemon peel over the drink and discard — the oils stay, the peel goes.