The Sazerac is the New Orleans cocktail combining rye whiskey, absinthe, sugar, and Peychaud’s bitters.
The drink developed in New Orleans during the nineteenth century and was originally associated with Sazerac brand cognac. Rye whiskey became the standard base after cognac supplies were disrupted by the phylloxera epidemic that damaged European vineyards.
A traditional preparation chills a glass with absinthe, stirs the spirit with sugar and bitters over ice, and strains the mixture into the prepared glass. Many versions use a lemon peel for aroma, although the peel is commonly expressed over the drink rather than dropped into it.
The Sazerac is closely connected with Peychaud’s bitters, created by Antoine Amédée Peychaud in New Orleans. It differs from the Vieux Carré, another local cocktail that combines rye with cognac, sweet vermouth, Benedictine, and bitters.