Flavor of the Week: Sazerac — the classic New Orleans cocktail

The Sazerac is a cocktail hailing from New Orleans believed to have been created before the Civil War. It’s named for Sazerac-de-Forge et Fils, a brand of Cognac, although at some point that spirit was swapped for rye, which is now usually the main ingredient in this cocktail, although other whiskeys are sometimes used as well, especially bourbon, and sometimes Cognac is still featured.

It’s made in a chilled Old Fashioned glass rinsed with absinthe, followed by the main spirit, a sugar cube, bitters (traditionally Peychaud’s) and a lemon twist.

For much of its history, absinthe was replaced with Herbsaint, since the former liquor was outlawed from 1920 to 2007.

Interestingly enough, this menu item is most commonly recognized by Millennials, Hispanic consumers and those with a higher household income, according to market research firm Datassential.

Click through the slideshow to learn more about this flavor of the week.