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Sazerac (Difford's split base)
If you are rightly concerned about chucking expensive absinthe down the drain then consider straining into a shot glass and serve on the side. The roughly...
Matthew Kimble
20th October 2025 at 22:34
Instead of doing a rinse with the absinthe, use an atomiser and give 2-6 squirts depending how noticeable you want it to be. I’ve started doing that and the advantages are you get a much more even coating, as well as using a lot less per cocktail and discarding the leftover. An absolute game changer.
2nd October 2025 at 19:43
Excellent and much better than the sample at the actual Sazerac House in New Orleans. I used pastis in place of absinthe which gives me it appropriately watered down on the side, perfect! Nice licorice aroma but just a hint in the taste. No overpowering flavors which was nice as I generally find Peychaud's can be a bit strong.
25th March 2025 at 16:37
Made it with Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal and High West Bottled in Bond Rye. Stunning
11th March 2025 at 02:27
I found throwing to be a little bit of a pain. Probably because not used to it, but it was a damn fine sazerac.
5th October 2024 at 20:06
I don’t dare throwing and with ice it’s going to go all over the place. I could try at someone else home perhaps any takers ? lol
19th July 2024 at 17:00
A « Shot glass » is definitely not big enough to hold the great green fairy.
Sush a tasty drink !
Sush a tasty drink !
8th July 2024 at 04:14
A beautifully balanced cocktail. We thought it was closer to a La Louisiane than a New Orleans Sazerac.
4th July 2024 at 18:56
My favorite drink. I make mine with bourbon or rye & Peychaud Bitters 3-4 dashes to make it on the spicier side. I like mine sweet so I use more simple syrup than most will. And I definitely guzzle that extra absinthe, no way would I waste it. For my customers that do not prefer the flavor of absinthe, I use a spray aspirator and spray 2-3 spritzes over the top so they get the scent with very little flavor. But I coat mine! I use fennel from my garden to garnish for added scent.
1st June 2024 at 14:10
This is a beautiful sazerac, wonderfully aromatic, even with a bottle of Peychaud bitters that was likely past its best. Still need to practise the throwing technique a bit more though!
30th March 2024 at 20:19
Does one sip the side shot of Absinthe or shoot it?
31st March 2024 at 08:57
That is upto the drinker, but better if sipped.
8th August 2023 at 17:49
Can I ask what the benefits are of throwing the cocktail as opposed to just stirring it? I've only ever considered throwing to wake up any aromatic ingredients like fortified wine, wouldn't have thought the small amount of bitters would benefit from it.
9th August 2023 at 07:24
Throwing aerates and opens a cocktail. I've added a link to THROW above to a page that explains all.
4th July 2023 at 20:24
A very smooth version. I’m in the minimal absinthe camp (can’t abide licorice), so I eschewed the shot. I believe Jerry Thomas’ term for putting fine ice in a glass to chill it was to frappe (frapp-ay) it, so I rinsed and frappayed, threw and strained. Then I smiled.
2nd June 2023 at 17:47
This is a lovely drink, we used Rittenhouse Rye and spritzed the glass using an Atomizer instead of rinsing the glass with Absinthe, which worked perfectly. We highly recommend giving this drink a try.
25th October 2022 at 20:56
I subbed the cognac for Armenian brandy (closest thing I had on hand) and dowsed the glass in a few spritzes of St. George from my atomizer instead of doing a rinse, came out excellent!
19th August 2022 at 09:17
I love this site and the community of discerning drinkers, but I gotta say why does everyone treat absinthe like it's turpentine? I throw a splash in over ice while I make my drinks and I leave it in -bc hey it's GOOD. Same with my Hemingways, throw in a splash while shaking up the other parts and mix it all in. I say don't toss the absinthe, drink it!
12th March 2022 at 06:08
I would reiterate the comment that I’d probably cut the simple in half - a bit sweet. Maybe even toss a dash of absinthe in the drink too above and beyond the rinse?
23rd July 2021 at 02:56
I liked the absinthe on the side. I would use a little less sugar as I find it a bit sweet. I would add more absinthe next time as I love absinthe.
2nd June 2021 at 16:52
But 7 cl of water, just for cooling the glass non in the shaker with others ingredients?
23rd July 2021 at 07:14
Just water with absinthe to chill the glass. No water in the shaker - just ice and other ingredients. Ice will melt and dilute other ingredients as part of the throwing process.
2nd June 2021 at 19:58
Absinthe and water in the glass and then discarded (or poured into shot glass to be enjoyed on the side). All other ingredients in the shaker and then strained into absinthe and water washed glass.
5th March 2021 at 19:55
Funny peculiar that you called this weekend an Absinth weekend since I had already planned a Sazerac for tomorrow night (sigh cocktails are planned ahead at this home bar). I get the Sazerac Rye only for this. But I must say the rinsing with the absinth does not give even 5ml of drink in a shot, so I can only conclude you're adding more Absinth in a shot secretly :D , hence cheating.... cheers xxx
6th March 2021 at 19:42
Nice idea Simon... had a fantasti Sazerac tonight, special treat for us...
6th March 2021 at 17:47
I "rinse" the glass by filling it with ice and then pouring 10ml (to 15ml) of absinthe and approx 70ml chilled water. I leave this to sit while assembling the other ingredients in a shaker (to throw) and then strain absinthe and water into shot glass rather than discarding.
17th February 2021 at 00:38
I also made the cocktail exactly as written here after picking up some bourbon, and have to say that it's the best iteration of the Sazerac that I've tried. Thanks Simon - I really enjoyed it on Pancake Day aka Mardi Gras today!
Here's a video of me making it: https://youtu.be/guj5EaS2fGg
Here's a video of me making it: https://youtu.be/guj5EaS2fGg
28th January 2021 at 05:39
I didn't have any bourbon, so I used 1.25oz of both rye and cognac, and instead of regular sugar syrup I used demerara syrup. The shot of absinthe on the side was definitely delicious (although I just rinsed the glass with absinthe, ice and no water)!
9th January 2021 at 20:17
I don't mind this recipe, it's actually quite moreish, not a good thing haha.
Anonymous
17th August 2020 at 22:38
This recipe is wrong. You can use either use cognac or rye whiskey, but not both. Never use bourbon. I'm from New Orleans and to make the Sazerac to this recipe would be sacrilage.
8th May 2022 at 21:23
为什么不行呢。我一直都是黑麦和干邑一起使用。当然你也可以全使用黑麦或者都使用干邑。
30th December 2020 at 15:55
What does 'wrong' mean ? Every cocktail has been invented by some person, it's a subject of personal taste. The world would be horribly boring with such a thinking. If someone prefers a twist of sazerac with ketchup, then hey why not ?