Kim Laidlaw

Classic: Sazerac

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Preparation info
  • Makes

    1

    Drink
    • Difficulty

      Easy

Appears in
Spirits of '76: Celebrating 250 Years with Cocktails from Every State
Spirits of '76

By Kim Laidlaw

Published 2026

  • About

A New Orleans icon, this cousin of the old-fashioned blends rye whiskey (or brandy), bitters, sugar, and absinthe for a bold, aromatic sip. First mixed in the 1800s with French cognac, the Sazerac has deep roots in the Crescent City—officially crowned in 2008 but revered long before that.

Ingredients

  • ¼ ounce absinthe
  • 1 sugar cube
  • 3 dashes Peychaud’s b

Method

Pour the absinthe into a rocks glass and swirl to coat the sides. Add 1 large ice cube; set aside.

In a cocktail shaker, muddle the sugar cube, Peychaud’s bitters, Angostura bitters (if using), and water. Fill the shaker with ice and add the rye whiskey. Cover and shake vigorously until chilled. Discard the ice and any excess absinthe from the prepared rocks glass. Strain the contents o