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The Sazerac is one of the oldest known cocktails; it is thought to be a revelation from the 1850s in the Sazerac Coffee House, New Orleans, Louisiana. This ‘Coffee House’ sold ailments such as the house bitters. Namely it was Antoine Amedee Peychaud who sold this anis-charactered bitter and subsquently it was used within many of the drinks being consumed for health benefits. But it is said to be the bartender Leon Lamothe who first made the signature cocktail, adding absinthe to sugar, bitters and cognac (Sazerac De Forge Fils). Rye whiskey is the other spirit one could use instead of the cognac, many puritans will contest about me using Jack Daniels which isn’t a rye, but it still works and tastes great.

This is an old classic and is not common due to lack of distribution of the key ingredient - the Peychaud bitters - as not every bar will have this, and remember: Angostura is not a suitable substitute for this drink.

The ritual for making this cocktail is pure alchemy and is a pleasure: First, chill your mixing glass and fill an old fashioned glass with crushed ice, to this add your absinth product. Next in your mixing glass pour in cognac and/or whiskey, sugar plus bitters with cubed ice. Stir and taste until mixture is chilled and balanced. Now empty your old fashioned glass of absinth and crushed ice. Fine strain mix into this glass, garnish with a lemon peel also rimming the glass to release the oils. Enjoy…

Recipe:
2.5 cl Remy Martin VSOP Cognac
2.5 cl Jack Daniels
1.5 cl Sugar Syrup
Dash of Pernod (Absinthe Substitute)
2 Dashes of Peychaud bitters
Lemon Peel