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Sazerac
Posted: July 15, 2026
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About
The Sazerac is one of America's oldest and most storied cocktails, born in New Orleans in the mid-1800s when Antoine Amédée Peychaud poured brandy toddies at his Royal Street apothecary — today it holds the title of New Orleans' official cocktail. Built on rye whiskey with an absinthe-rinsed glass, it delivers layers of complexity: the herbal bite of Peychaud's bitters, a whisper of sweetness, and a lemon peel expressed over the top to release its fragrant oils. Elegant and unapologetically spirit-forward, the Sazerac's simplicity has made it a touchstone of American bartending for nearly two centuries, sparking enduring debates about rye versus cognac that continue in cocktail bars to this day.
Ingredients
2 dash Angostura Bitters
1 TSP Simple Syrup
2 oz Rye Whiskey
0.25 oz Absinthe
1 piece(s) Lemon Peel
3 dash Peychaud's Bitters
Instructions
- Chill an old-fashioned glass by filling it with ice and letting it rest while you build the drink.
- In a mixing glass, combine the simple syrup, Peychaud's bitters, and Angostura bitters.
- Add the rye whiskey and fill the mixing glass with ice. Stir for 30 seconds until well-chilled and diluted.
- Discard the ice from the old-fashioned glass. Pour in the absinthe and swirl to coat the inside, then discard any excess.
- Strain the whiskey mixture into the absinthe-rinsed glass.
- Hold the lemon peel skin-side down over the glass and give it a firm twist to express the oils over the drink, then run the peel around the rim and discard — do not drop it in.