SAZERAC

This 19th-century New Orleans classic is the rare cocktail that’s served without ice. Originally made with Cognac, but nowadays typically built with rye, it’s in essence a twist on the Old Fashioned. The whiskey is stirred down with ice, sugar and a splash of Peychaud’s and/or Angostura bitters in one glass, then strained into another glass that has been rinsed with absinthe and garnished with a swatch of orange peel. A 50/50 Sazerac, one made with a mixture of rye and Cognac, is a delicious variation, as is the entirely untraditional choice of dark rum.