David A Embury, author of The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, refers to the Sazerac as a sharp, pungent, thoroughly dry cocktail – essentially an Old Fashioned but using Peychaud’s bitters and flavoured with a dash of absinthe instead. In its earliest days in New Orleans it was made with Cognac, and later it came to be made with rye whiskey; we’ve split the difference.

Ingredients

Splash of absinthe

30 ml Ccognac

30 ml rye whiskey

15 ml sugar syrup (see note)

2 dashes Peychaud's bitters

Orange or lemon peel, or both, to serve

Method

1.Chill a rocks glass in the fridge, or fill it with crushed ice and set aside until chilled. Add a splash of absinthe to chilled glass (discard crushed ice first if using) and set aside. Place remaining ingredients except peel in a Boston shaker or cocktail jug half-filled with ice cubes, and stir with a cocktail spoon. Strain into prepared rocks glass, add ice cubes, garnish with citrus peel and serve.

Sugar syrup is made of equal parts caster sugar and water, unless otherwise specified. Bring the mixture to the boil to dissolve the sugar, remove it from the heat and cool it before use.
Notes

Styling by Lisa Featherby

Styling by Lucy Tweed