Born in New Orleans, the Sazerac is considered by many to be one of the very first cocktails.
James Bond has many allies to help in his adventures. M, Q, Miss Moneypenny and of course, his “brother from Langley”, Felix Leiter. In the movies, Felix is a bit of a changeling, traditionally being recast with a different actor whenever he makes an appearance. In total, seven different actors have played the role across a span of twenty-five films and sixty-two years.
Apart from Jeffrey Wright playing Leiter consistently throughout the Daniel Craig era, only one other actor has a repeat performance, David Hedison. He rounded out his tenure in 1989’s Licence to Kill, with Timothy Dalton as Bond. In that adventure, poor Felix gets his leg bitten off by a shark in a nod to Fleming’s novel, Live and Let Die. And here’s a fun piece of 007 trivia: David Hedison’s first appearance as Leiter is in Roger Moore’s first cinematic outing, 1973’s Live and Let Die.
What does this have to do with the Sazerac, tonight’s drink? Well, we know Bond likes a tipple or two, and in the films his preference is a Vodka Martini, shaken and not stirred. Often the character will change his order up, with another favorite being bourbon. In the movie Live and Let Die, 007 orders bourbon more than once. When his caper takes both he and Felix Leiter to the Fillet of Soul jazz club in New Orleans, it’s the American who orders them both a glass of the local staple.
“Two Sazeracs. Where’s your sense of adventure, James? This is New Orleans, relax.”
Considered by many to be one of the first “official” cocktails, the Sazerac is a mixture of rye whiskey and sugar in an absinthe-rinsed glass, topped with dashes of Peychaud and Angostura bitters. Dating back to the 19th century, when bars were known as “coffee houses”, the cocktail was originally made with cognac. A world-renowned brand of the spirit named Sazerac de Forge et Fils, had made its way to New Orleans and became much loved by Antoine Amédée Peychaud, who invented the bitters used in the recipe.
What is Absinthe?
Used as a rinse in the Sazerac, which means enough to only coat the glass, absinthe is a very strong liquor that features an ABV of around fifty percent or greater. Notorious for its use of a particular and peculiar ingredient, this alcohol has been banned in several countries. It is crafted using oil of wormwood, which one pure drop of can kill you… according to myth.
What is the best Whiskey to use in a Sazerac?
Our recipe calls for a smooth and spicy rye whiskey. There are a ton of varieties available, so you’ll have plenty to choose from. I’ve been partial to a bottle of High West or Bulleit, as both make great bases for cocktails and work beautifully on their own when served neat.
Equipment
- Mixing Glass
- Muddler (to crush the sugar cube)
- Jigger (to measure the whiskey)
- A spoon for stirring
- A strainer (to strain the mixture)
- An Old-Fashioned Glass
- Lemon Peeler or Knife (to peel the lemon)
Ingredients
- 2 oz rye whiskey
- 1 sugar cube
- Absinthe for rinsing the glass
- 3 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- Lemon peel for garnish
Instructions
- Rinse your glass with absinthe, swirling it to coat the inside of the glass. Pour out any excess.
- In a mixing glass, add your sugar cube, Peychaud's bitters, and Angostura bitters. Let the sugar absorb the bitters and then muddle it gently in the glass.
- Add your rye whiskey and a handful of ice cubes to the mixing glass and stir gently for about 30 seconds. Strain the mixture from the mixing glass into your old-fashioned glass.
- Twist a lemon peel over the drink, then drop it into the glass for garnish.
FAQs
An Old Fashioned glass with a twist of lemon is a classic and classy vessel for your Sazerac.
You can premix the ingredients and store covered and sealed for a few hours or up to a few days.
This old-school tipple carries quite a bit of calories, with 272 of them.
It is best to use an absinthe that won’t overpower your whiskey. Pernod or Kübler work well. Remember, you only need a little bit.
Pastis, anisette, ouzo or sambuca can all work if you can’t find absinthe.
Similar drinks to the Sazerac Cocktail
There’s a lot of history to the Sazerac, much of it contested and muddled, like sugar at the bottom of a rocks glass. But with every sip of one of these iconic and monument-like drinks, the years gone past can sometimes flood your imagination with dreamy images, flashes of times not lived. Twist & Toast has a bountiful catalogue of cocktail recipes that include beverages born decades, and sometimes centuries, before ours.
- Old Fashioned – A barroom staple that some say has been around since the 1800s.
- Gin Martini – A timeless and iconic cocktail, a must for your repertoire.
- Manhattan – Sweet vermouth and rye whiskey combine in this Big Apple-inspired dram.
- Gin Rickey – Rickeys have been around since the 1880s, and the gin-based version is one of the most popular.
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