001 – The Sazerac

A re-imagined version of the famous Sazerac cocktail, sometimes called the ‘first cocktail’.

Sydney’s Covid Lockdown has inspired me to take this simple cocktail back to its roots in search of some additional smoothness and flavour. Here is the resulting recipe and some cocktail background.

Make your own ‘Locktail’ Sazerac. Here is the recipe:

METHOD — Coat a double-rocks glass with a bar-spoon (5ml) of Absinthe and chill (with ice or in freezer). Infuse sugar cube with two-dashes each of Peychaud’s Bitters and Apricot & Smoked Hickory Bitters. Shake (or stir) infused sugar cube with 30ml (one-shot) Cognac and 30ml (one-shot) Rye Whiskey and ice, until the sugar is dissolved. Drain excess Absinthe from double-rocks glass and any chilling ice, leaving only a light coating of the Absinthe. Strain mix into glass (no ice) and garnish with lemon rind.

HISTORICAL NOTES – The Sazerac is included in the International Bartenders Association (IBA) classic ‘Unforgettables’ list that is limited to 33-cocktails. It is often quoted as the ‘first cocktail’, and that’s a topic for another day and a very long discussion. The short version is that in around 1850 in New Orleans the Sazerac cocktail was invented using local Antione Peychaud bitters and imported Sazerac-de-Forge et Fils cognac. In the 1870s the Cognac was replaced by Rye Whiskey due to the devastation of Cognac vineyards in France from a phylloxera epidemic, the American Civil War and later US Prohibition.

THE OFFICIAL MIX – The IBA version is here. It is 50ml Cognac, 10ml Absinthe, Peychaud’s Bitters and a sugar cube. Prepared in largely the same way and often with the Cognac substituted for Rye Whiskey.

TASTING NOTES – This is very much a ‘base spirit’ cocktail, that celebrates either the Cognac or the Rye Whiskey, so as with all strong base-spirit cocktails, it is important to use high-quality spirit as that is the dominant taste. The Absinthe coating ads notes of aniseed and licorice and Peychaud’s bitters gives it a childhood ‘cough-medicine’ twist that is pleasant if not overdone. You can’t really replace with any other bitters as Peychaud’s has a very distinctive taste. Although well known, the Sezerac isn’t in high demand as other more balanced and sophisticated cocktails arrived later in the 1800s.

LOCKTAIL CHANGES – One of the great things about ‘home-made’ (lock-down) cocktails is that you can use better base product than most bars will use in their cocktail stations and standard spirits. I wanted to give homage to the origins (French and USA) and history of this ancient cocktail, while at the same time smoothing it out and adding some contemporary complexity. I have used good quality Cognac and the lovely Sezerac Rye Whisky, together they make a much smoother and more complex base. I’ve dialed-back the Peychaud’s bitters, adding some Mr Bitter’s ‘Apricot and Smoked Hickory Bitters’, the smoked hickory goes amazingly well with the Rye Whiskey and the Apricot blends with and reduces the impact of the Absinthe. I’ve kept the sugar cube, although you could use a syrup if you prefer better integration. Overall, I think this makes for a much richer, smoother and slightly sweeter mix.

YOUR LOCKTAIL EXPERIENCE – If you’d rather taste than read, I am going to start keeping an ingredient list and other sourcing information on this site (stay tuned). I will re-use ingredients where I can (good for my budget too), so that the cost goes down overtime if you are ‘playing at home’. This (first) cocktail will set you back, as good Cognac and good Rye Whiskey are expensive ingredients, and in this case the bitters are specialized, however Peychaud’s is readily available. Not all cocktails need high-quality ingredients and I’ll mention that in other recipes – unfortunately (or fortunately) this one does.

Let me know what you think.

Cocktails you’d like reinvented.

Recipes you’ve tried and your ‘score’.

Coming up soon, more cocktails from the 1800s, the Americano and the John Collins.