Step into the spirit of New Orleans with the Big Easy Sazerac, a cocktail that’s as smooth and bold as the jazz filling the French Quarter. This isn’t just a drink—it’s a rite of passage for anyone ready to sip like a legend.
With the spicy bite of rye whiskey, the herbal intrigue of absinthe, and the signature kick of Peychaud’s bitters, this classic is pure cocktail royalty. Served neat in a chilled glass and crowned with a twist of lemon, the Big Easy Sazerac is proof that sometimes, the simplest things are the most unforgettable. So, channel your inner Bourbon Street swagger and enjoy a sip of history, one bold taste at a time.
The Big Easy Sazerac
Ingredients
2 oz (60 ml) Rye Whiskey (go for the good stuff, no regrets here)
1 sugar cube (or 1/2 oz / 15 ml simple syrup) I prefer demerara sugar/syrup personally.
3 dashes Peychauds Bitters (accept no substitutes, key ingredient here)
1/4 oz (7.5 ml) Absinthe (a light rinse, don’t go overboard) Honestly I recommend getting an atomizer. Cheap easy way to spritz your glass, see link below for what I use.
Lemon peel (for garnish)
Directions
- Chill Out: Place a rocks glass in the freezer or fill it with ice water to chill. You want this glass
frosty. - Sweet Beginnings: In a mixing glass, muddle the sugar cube with the Peychauds Bitters until it
dissolves. If you’re using simple syrup, just stir it in with the bitters. If your using Angostura bitters, you didn’t read the ingredients very carefully. Punishment will be swift, and cruel… - Pour the Heat: Add the rye whiskey and a few cubes of ice. Stir like you’re convincing it to
behave. 20 to 30 seconds should do, but hey, go a bit longer if you want a slightly more tame finished product. - Absinthe Rinse: Dump out the ice water from the chilled rocks glass. Add the absinthe, swirl it
around to coat the glass, and toss the excess (or sip it, your call). Again, I recommend the atomizer option. Cheap and makes you feel like a real fancy bartender. - Combine & Conquer: Strain the whiskey mixture into the prepared glass. No ice here, this drink
is meant to be neat. - Garnish & Go: Express the lemon peel over the drink, rub it along the rim of the glass, and
drop it in. Sip like you own the place
Notes
- Feeling fancy? Swap the rye for Cognac or mix the two for a little something extra.
Download the printable recipe here
Useful links to some recommended products I use in this recipe:
You can muddle the sugar and bitters with the back of most bar spoons, or you could feel awesome and use this beast. Stainless steel Cocktail Muddler, and it’s dishwasher safe!
Cocktail strainer if you somehow never got one of these as a gift from an employer or a vendor.
Bar spoons so you can look like you actually know what you are doing.
Jigger for measuring. This one works for me, but to be honest, the markings on the inside are a bit hard to read until you have them memorized.
Cocktail mixing glass. This thing looks fantastic. Not dishwasher safe technically, but hey, perfection takes effort sometimes. And I know it’s fancy and nice, cause my wife asks me why I can’t just mix drinks in a regular glass. 😉
Cocktail Atomizer Sprayer. Don’t be cheap, just get this even if you ONLY use it for Sazeracs. I did….
Affiliate Disclosure:
This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. Utilizing my links helps support this page and the recipes you are enjoying!