Believed to be the first American cocktail, the Sazerac originated in New Orleans in the pre-Civil War era.
Antoine Amadie Peychaud, the man behind Peychaud’s bitters, is credited with its creation. He served his drink in the large end of an egg cup called a coquetier in French, which in its Americanized pronunciation became “cocktail.”
Named after the Sazerac de Forge et Fils cognac it was originally made with, the Sazerac is unique in its preparation method with two glasses, says Marcelo Nascimento, head bartender at St. John’s.
“It’s kind of a romantic drink, and it has a great story,” he says of the Sazerac, which rotates on and off the cocktail menu at St. John’s.
Mixology
To make a Sazerac: (be forewarned, it’s not the easiest drink to make) take a double old fashioned glass and fill it with ice and a quarter-ounce of absinthe and set it aside to chill.