How to Make The Perfect Sazerac

Prep time: 3 minutes

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• 2 ounces rye whiskey (Sazerac Rye or Rittenhouse)
• 0.3 ounces absinthe or Herbsaint (for rinsing)
• 1 tsp simple syrup or 1 sugar cube
• 3 dashes Peychaud’s bitters (essential — not Angostura)
• 1 dash Angostura bitters
• 1 lemon peel (expressed, not dropped in)

Instructions

1. Rinse the glass with absinthe: Pour 0.3 ounces absinthe or Herbsaint (for rinsing) into a rocks glass. Swirl to coat the entire interior, then discard the excess absinthe. Set the glass aside.

2. Combine bitters and sugar: In a mixing glass, combine 1 tsp simple syrup or 1 sugar cube and 3 dashes Peychaud’s bitters (essential, not Angostura) and 1 dash Angostura bitters. If using a sugar cube, muddle it with the bitters until dissolved.

3. Add rye and ice: Add 2 ounces rye whiskey (Sazerac Rye or Rittenhouse) and fill the mixing glass with ice.

4. Stir: Stir for 30 seconds 00:30. The Sazerac is stirred, never shaken.

5. Strain, no ice: Strain into the absinthe-rinsed glass. No ice.

6. Express lemon peel and discard: Hold 1 lemon peel (expressed, not dropped in) over the glass and squeeze to express the oils across the surface. Rub it around the rim. Discard the peel, do not drop it in the drink.

Notes

Peychaud’s bitters is non-negotiable: The Sazerac’s defining character comes from Peychaud’s, a bright, slightly floral, anise-forward bitters created in New Orleans. Angostura alone will not give you a Sazerac. Find Peychaud’s; it’s widely available and inexpensive.

The absinthe rinse: You’re not drinking the absinthe, you’re coating the glass with it and discarding the excess. This leaves just a ghost of anise aroma that perfumes every sip. Herbsaint is the traditional New Orleans substitute if you can’t find absinthe.

No ice in the final glass: A Sazerac is served without ice. The drink is stirred over ice to chill and dilute, then strained into a room-temperature or slightly chilled rocks glass. This is correct and intentional.

The lemon peel: Express it over the glass to release the oils, run it around the rim, and discard. The lemon peel is never dropped into the drink, just its oils, on the surface and rim.