Vieux Carré Cocktail

Dark and smooth, this cocktail from the Big Easy will warm you up as the weather cools down.

New Orleans is a famous town. Mardi Gras, New Year’s… I’ve only ever witnessed those events in that city via television, and even then I need a day afterwards to recover, the festivities being so epic and somewhat naughty. Plus, the musical legacy that the Big Easy is responsible for is beyond legendary. From jazz icons Louis Armstrong and Trombone Shorty, to the eclectic stylings of Dr. John and the mystery surrounding the demise of punk rock guitarist Johnny Thunders, N’awlins is a place with a million stories to tell. 

Some even say that the “Paris of the South” is also the cocktail capital of the world. In fact, many consider the city to be the birthplace of the mixed drink. In the 1830s, Antoine Peychaud of the French Quarter combined the brandy Sazerac de Forge et Fils with bitters, sugar and water to create what we today know as the Sazerac. In the movie Live and Let Die, James Bond and his buddy from the CIA, Felix Leiter, are on a case in New Orleans. They stop in the Fillet of Soul, a jazz club, to have a drink, and 007 requests a bourbon, no ice. His brother from Langley instead orders them two Sazeracs. “Where’s your sense of adventure, James? This is New Orleans, relax!” 

Tonight’s cocktail continues the tradition of robust and memorable recipes hailing from that jazz-drenched and French-influenced city. The Vieux Carré is a dark, smooth concoction comprised of rye whiskey, cognac, sweet vermouth, Bénédictine and Peychaud’s bitters. Sounds a little complex, but this recipe rewards you with an intense, yet easy-to-drink experience. Tasting similar to a Manhattan, but with added notes of honey, spices and other herbal, floral flavors, this drink fills you with a comfy, warm sensation, perfect for when the weather gets cooler. 

In the 1937 book Famous New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix ‘Em, author Stanley Clisby Arthur states that the cocktail was invented by Walter Bergeron. Bergeron was the head bartender at the Hotel Monteleone’s famous Carousel Bar, and named his creation the Vieux Carré, which is French for “old square”, the original title of the city’s iconic French Quarter. 

Somewhat forgotten for many years, the dust has been brushed off of this historic drink thanks to the craft cocktail revival movement of the early 21st century.

What is Peychaud’s Bitters?

Peychaud’s bitters is lighter and more delicate tasting than its Angostura counterpart. Used primarily in New Orleans cocktails, this ingredient brings with it the flavors of cherry and anise, with subtle hints of mint, cloves and citrus.

What is the Best Whiskey to Use in a Vieux Carré?

When combined with the cognac, sweet vermouth and Bénédictine, the rye whiskey this recipe calls for really helps to make this concoction a complex, but perfectly balanced one. The rye will add spicy and peppery notes, bringing a dry finish that mixes beautifully with the vermouth and liqueur.

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Similar Cocktails to the Vieux Carré

There’s something special about a cocktail with a storied history. It’s like going to a museum and being allowed to drink the exhibits and do a little time travel via your taste buds. Maybe that’s not the best analogy, but it did make some sense to me. The recipes might not be exactly as they were from however many years, decades or even centuries before, but we can still get a sense of what things were like, and how they change as time marches ever onward.

• Sazerac – Often considered one of the very first cocktails, this classic dram was created in New Orleans.
• Martinez – Another of the “original” mixed drinks, this beverage inspired both the martini and Manhattan.
• Gin Martini – Here’s another iconic tipple that has stood the test of time.
• Negroni – This Campari, gin and sweet vermouth combo is a delicious and beautifully bitter booze bomb.