I love a boozy cocktail and the Sazerac checks that box. The Sazerac is one of the oldest cocktails in the world, with its origins dating back to the early 1800s. The drink is also the official drink of New Orleans. In researching the Sazerac, I found so many variations. The one below is the one I chose as my favorite. Most recipes and bars serve the cocktail “up” or without ice, but I chose to add an ice cube.

Ingredients for a Sazerac

• 1 sugar cube
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• 2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
• 1 ounce Willett Family Estate Rye whiskey
• 1 ounce Armagnac or Cognac
• 1 teaspoon absinthe
• Lemon peel for garnish

Instructions to make a Sazerac

1. Add sugar cube and both bitters to a cocktail shaker and muddle until sugar dissolves.
2. Add Cognac and whiskey, fill with ice and stir (do not shake) for at least 30 seconds.
3. In a cocktail glass of your choice, add the absinthe and rinse the glass by swirling it around. Pour the absinthe out or leave it in for even more punch.
4. Strain the cocktail into your glass and garnish with the lemon peel.
5. I serve this one with a large round ice cube but it can be sipped on without ice.