Had one (okay, three) at the Roosevelt in NOLA. Amazing stuff Tried to replicate at home without the Sazerac rye, fail. Fifty bones worth of Absinthe now in back of the liquor cabinet. Whiskey substitution suggestions?
Some bars use bourbon but it isn't right if doesn't have rye whiskey. I'll have to try it at the Roosevelt, most bars don't know how to make it. Chris at the Ritz Carlton in New Orleans makes a good one.
The Sazerac at the Fairmont pre-Katrina was great, but I have not tried one since the place reopened as the Roosevelt. I used to have one several times a year as my father insisted on stopping in every time he was in town and the wife and I would go to the bar for drinks either before or after we went to the LPO. I'm going down to the Quarter with some friends tonight so I may give the Ritz a try.
Try the bar in the cigar club area. I like it much better than the others. Chris McMillian used to work back there, he is great. Don't know if he is still there. The guys/girls at the lobby lounge don't usually know how to make things that don't involve vodka and a flavored syrup. I'm not sure but the "French Quarter Bar" may have reopened, it used to be pretty good before the Marriott takeover. They pretty much ruined the restaurant there. Unless they changed things you can park at the Ritz too. It is a block off of Bourbon, you can go out the back door to get out. I used to be able to get the bartender to stamp the valet ticket and the parking was free.
Peychaud bitters I assume. What kind of Absinthe? I adore them S.C. with Sazerak, JB, or Old Overholt rye whiskey. Also like rye and diet coke, so no cocktail snob. Made some psuedo rye manhattens for me and my pop the other night. No angostura bitters but put a splash of Gran Marnier on top of 1/2 rye 1/2 sw vermouth and they were delicious.
Love a Sazerac, and I make 'em at home. - Pechaud's (5 dashes over a sugar cube) - Rye stirred in ice for 10 sec - Strain rye into bitters and sugar, stir - Strain into glass chilled and coated w/Grande Absinthe leaving sugar behind Good call on the Beam Rye. Basil Haden is a nice sub too. It is Bourbon but has a higher rye content. The best is Alberta Premium Rye. Make sure to pick that up next time you're in Canada. -Billy
Absente"absinthe refined", JB rye, Peychauds(also tried Angostura which I prefer but does nothing for this drink) I suspect my proportions and not the JB rye are at fault. I'll be trying billyfitness' recipe soon.
dredged up this old thread via a search for threads with "cocktail" in the subject. Last weekend me and a buddy visited the House of Bols, a combination museum and bar featuring products from the oldest distillery in the world. Bols Age Checker House of Bols I'd been to Amsterdam several time over the past 15 years but for some reason was never introduced to Genever (i.e. Dutch Gin). Or maybe I was, but just forgot :/ Anyway I highly recommend the "Bols Experience" if you have any interest in booze. The exhibits, including fun samples to smell and taste to test your senses, were really interesting but the bar at the end is what I'll remember the most. As a former bartender and imbiber of drinks all around the world I can honestly say that the bartender at Bols' was one of the most knowledgeable, skilled and precise pourers I've ever seen. 15 Euros gets you access to the museum, 2 Genever shots of your choice and 1 mixed drink. We each poneyed up 6.50 more for another cocktail, and he gave us each an extra shot of 6yr old whiskey-barrel aged Genever. We were feeling no pain before we went in, and even less when we left These were some of the cocktails we tried: Aged Mai Tai Bols Age Checker Perfectly balanced sweet and complex. Elderflower Collins Bols Age Checker Pretty woman at the register said this was her favorite so we felt obligated to try one.... refreshing and light. The Improved Holland Gin Cocktail Bols Age Checker Wow. This one was so good we ordered a second. Supposedly one of the original 12 drink recipes from the oldest cocktail book ~200 years ago. Shares some ingredients with the Sazerak. Bartender had an atomizer with the Absinthe in it that he spritzed over the top right before serving. One of the best drinks I've ever had. These also looked good: Bols Age Checker Bols Age Checker Bols Age Checker Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
I'm going to have one or two tonight. Peychaud bitters are a must. Campari tastes a Sazerac tast just like Campari, and Angostura bitters makes a Sazerac taste like a Manhattan. And, of course, the simple syrup which gives it delicacy and balance. I'm practically drooling. I've got to learn to make these at home. Matt
