The sazerac is without a doubt a truly New Orleans creation, vastly superior to our more recent contributions to boozing, like the Hand Grenade or Hurricane. So thoroughly New Orleans is the drink that our legislators saw fit to have declared it the official drink of New Orleans. Of a slightly more disputed nature is the claim that the sazerac was the first cocktail, so named for the coquetier (pronounced “ko-k-tay”), a double-sided egg cup, that was used in the preparation of the drink (further clouding the issue is the claim that the drink was actually served in the coquetier). The sazerac is a simple drink which boasts only four ingredients and a garnish, yet it proves to be exceedingly difficult to master.
Given the sazerac’s storied New Orleans history, you’d think that every bar in New Orleans should be able to make a decent sazerac. Unfortunately, this certainly isn’t the case. While you could probably order a sazerac in most bars in the city, you’ll get some that taste just terrible (some friends I have say they all taste that way). So I’ve been on a quest to find some really good ones lately. While only a small sampling across the city, this is what I currently have to offer:
1. Luke
2. Crescent City Steak House
3. Sazerac Bar
4. Domenica
5. II Tony’s*
6. French 75**
7. Commander’s Palace
T8. Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse***
T8. Ralph’s on the Park***
*> Venizia’s****
Of course the quality of the sazerac will vary from bartender to bartender or perhaps even from night to night, so your results may not be similar.
* II Tony’s staff has wildly varying sazerac making abilities. You can get one of the best sazeracs in the metro area from Mr. Tony or you may get a pretty mediocre sazerac from some of the other bartenders.
**French 75 was pretty darn good, but consistently a short pour
***Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse and Ralph’s tie because it depends on the mood. The sazerac at Dickie’s was a bit heavy on the sugar and Ralph’s had a wee bit too much bite.
****Venezia’s has been by far the worst sazerac I’ve ever had. I know I’ve had ok sazeracs there before, but my most recent visit was abysmal. It was served in a cocktail glass with a cherry. So I guess it was really a Manhattan sazerac.
Want to give it a go at home? Here is the current “Official Sazerac Cocktail” recipe:
1 cube sugar
1½ ounces (35ml) Sazerac Rye Whiskey or Buffalo Trace Bourbon
¼ ounce Herbsaint
3 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
Lemon peel
Pack an Old-Fashioned glass with ice
In a second Old-Fashioned glass place the sugar cube and add the Peychaud’s Bitters to it, then crush the sugar cube
Add the Sazerac Rye Whiskey or Buffalo Trace Bourbon to the second glass containing the Peychaud’s Bitters and sugar
Empty the ice from the first glass and coat the glass with the Herbsaint, then discard the remaining Herbsaint
Empty the whiskey/bitters/sugar mixture from the second glass into the first glass and garnish with lemon peel
