IBA
Sazerac – IBA
Muddle; Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 38.5% ABV ∙
A Sazerac is a spirit-forward New Orleans cocktail of Cognac (or rye), absinthe, sugar, and Creole bitters, stirred and served in an absinthe-rinsed glass. Silky and warming, with a whisper of anise clinging to the glass, a brisk sugared edge, and a long, spice-tinged finish.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Rinse a chilled old-fashioned glass with the Absinthe, add crushed ice and set it aside
- In the base of the mixing glass, muddle: Sugar cube 1 pc with Creole-style bitters 3 dashes
- Add the remaining ingredients and stir over ice: Cognac 50 mlAbsinthe 10 ml
- Discard the ice and any excess Absinthe from the prepared glass
- Strain into the chilled glass
- Garnish with a lemon twist
- Note: The original recipe changed after the American Civil War, rye whiskey substituted Cognac as it became hard to obtain
Tips
- Swirl the absinthe fully around the chilled glass and leave it sitting with crushed ice while you stir — a thin, even coat is enough, and pooled absinthe overpowers the Cognac.
- Express the lemon twist over the glass just before serving to release its oils onto the surface rather than dropping it in early.
- Muddle the sugar cube with the bitters briefly before adding the Cognac so it dissolves fully instead of settling undissolved at the bottom.
History
The IBA lists Sazerac in its "Unforgettables" category, codifying an official build that calls for cognac rather than the rye whiskey many modern bars pour, with an absinthe-rinsed glass, a sugar cube, and Peychaud's bitters. The IBA specification itself notes that this cognac version reflects the drink's earliest form, adding that rye whiskey only replaced cognac after the American Civil War, when a phylloxera outbreak in Europe made cognac scarce.
The Sazerac it codifies is a New Orleans cocktail whose invention is credited by popular tradition to Antoine Amédée Peychaud, a Creole apothecary who is said to have mixed his proprietary bitters with Sazerac-de-Forge et Fils cognac at his French Quarter shop, in accounts dating the drink to the 1830s or 1850s; drink historians, including David Wondrich, have disputed parts of this story, and the cocktail's name comes from that cognac brand rather than from any person. The IBA's cognac-based listing preserves that original spirit base, in contrast to the rye whiskey version that became dominant in wider practice after cognac supplies dried up.
FAQ
What is in a Sazerac cocktail?
A Sazerac is built from Cognac, absinthe, a sugar cube, and Creole-style bitters such as Peychaud's. This build uses Cognac as the base spirit, stirred with the sugar and bitters and served in an old-fashioned glass rinsed with absinthe and garnished with a lemon twist.
What is the recipe for a Sazerac?
Rinse a chilled old-fashioned glass with absinthe and pack it with crushed ice, then set it aside. Stir the remaining ingredients over ice in a mixing glass, discard the ice and excess absinthe from the chilled glass, and strain the stirred drink into it, finishing with an expressed lemon twist.
Is a Sazerac a strong drink?
Yes, at about 38.5% ABV it is a strong, spirit-forward cocktail with very little dilution beyond the stir. There is no juice or mixer to soften it, so the Cognac and absinthe both come through at full strength.
What's the ideal dilution for a Sazerac?
Stir just until well-chilled, roughly the same window as an Old Fashioned, since the drink has no citrus or syrup to buffer over-dilution. Because it is strained into a glass already cooled by crushed ice, a slightly shorter stir keeps the Cognac and absinthe from getting watered down.
What is a substitute for absinthe in a Sazerac?
Herbsaint, an anise liqueur created in New Orleans in 1934 specifically as a domestic absinthe alternative, is the traditional substitute and still common in Sazeracs today. Pastis or another anise-forward liqueur can also stand in for the rinse and the stirred absinthe, though the flavor will be sweeter and less herbal than true absinthe.
What makes a good Sazerac?
A good Sazerac balances a full absinthe rinse against a properly dissolved sugar cube, so neither the anise nor the sweetness overwhelms the Cognac. A short, cold stir over ice keeps the drink crisp rather than diluted, with the lemon twist's oils rounding out the finish.
