The Sazerac is said to be the invention of Antoine Peychaud, who fled San Domingo in 1795 and became a pharmacist in New Orleans. He created a bitter tonic in the 19th century, now known as Peychaud’s Bitters, which he sold as both a medicinal potion and an addition for liquor. One of these liquors was Sazerac-de-Forge, a Cognac, and the Sazerac was born. It’s inextricably linked to New Orleans, with the Sazerac Company bottling the cocktail since the 1890s and the Sazerac Bar serving it consistently since Prohibition ended. In 2008, Louisiana passed a bill officially designating the Sazerac as the official cocktail of New Orleans.
Though the Sazerac was originally made using Cognac, the phylloxera plague that wiped out many of Europe’s vines also affected Cognac production, which, of course, is made from grapes. Rye whiskey was used as a substitute and remains an official ingredient, though bourbon has also been used in the past.
When made properly, the Sazerac tastes like a whiskey-forward cocktail with a touch of sweetness thanks to the sugar. The absinthe and Sazerac bitters add a bitter, herbal element to the final product, though whiskey is definitely the main event, so choose your whiskey wisely.
