The Sazerac: New Orleans’ Official Cocktail and a Sip of History

If cocktails could tell stories, the Sazerac would speak in a low, confident voice with a hint of rye and a whisper of absinthe. It’s bold, complex, and deeply tied to New Orleans’ identity—so much so that in 2008, it was named the official cocktail of the city. For locals, it’s not just a drink—it’s a tradition, a ritual, and a point of pride.

From Apothecary to Icon

The Sazerac’s roots trace back to the 1830s, when Antoine Peychaud, a Creole apothecary in the French Quarter, began serving a mix of brandy, sugar, and his own bitters to friends and patrons. His concoction became popular in local coffee houses (which, in true New Orleans fashion, often served something stronger than coffee).

In the mid-1800s, the Sazerac Coffee House began using a Cognac called Sazerac de Forge et Fils as its base spirit—giving the cocktail its name. When phylloxera devastated French vineyards and brandy became scarce, rye whiskey took Cognac’s place, giving the drink a spicier profile that remains standard today.

Why It’s the Official Cocktail of New Orleans

Few drinks so perfectly embody the city’s spirit:

• It’s a blend of cultures—French brandy (later American rye), Creole bitters, Caribbean sugar, and European absinthe.

• It’s steeped in ritual—from chilling the glass to the final twist of lemon.

• It’s unapologetically strong, like the city’s character.

In 2008, the Louisiana legislature officially recognized the Sazerac as New Orleans’ signature cocktail, cementing its place in the city’s history books (and bar menus).

The Classic Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 oz rye whiskey (or Cognac, for the original style)

• 1 sugar cube

• 3–4 dashes Peychaud’s bitters

• Absinthe rinse

• Lemon peel (for garnish)

Method:

1. In a mixing glass, muddle the sugar cube with Peychaud’s bitters.

2. Add rye whiskey and ice, then stir until chilled.

3. Rinse a chilled rocks glass with absinthe, coating the inside and discarding the excess.

4. Strain the cocktail into the glass (traditionally served neat, without ice).

5. Express a lemon peel over the drink and discard or drop it in.

Where to Sip a Great Sazerac in New Orleans

• The Sazerac Bar – The Roosevelt Hotel

  • The gold standard. Sleek, historic, and perfectly made by bartenders who know the drink’s legacy inside and out.

• The Carousel Bar – Hotel Monteleone

  • Enjoy your Sazerac while rotating slowly around the bar in the Quarter’s most famous spinning seats.

• Antoine’s Hermes Bar

  • Classic French Quarter setting, impeccable execution, and the kind of atmosphere that makes you linger.

• Arnaud’s French 75 Bar

  • Known for its elegance and craft cocktails, Arnaud’s serves a Sazerac with perfect balance and presentation.

• Peychaud’s Bar – Hotel Maison de Ville

  • Named after the man who started it all, this tucked-away spot delivers history in a glass.

Why It Endures

The Sazerac isn’t a quick cocktail—it’s a performance. The ritual, the glass rinse, the bitters—all of it connects the drinker to nearly two centuries of New Orleans history. Whether you’re sipping one at a mahogany bar in the Quarter or mixing one at home before our spring parade, you’re taking part in a tradition as essential to the city as jazz, gumbo, and a good second line.