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The Big Easy’s Best Bets

We have been featured inRentCafe's list of top things to do in New Orleans! Our own Marc Becker gave the team atRentCafe.comsome recommendations for visitors who want to have an authentic time around the city we call home. He talked about the Natchez and, of course, jazz, and the team mentioned the National WWII museum as well as a must-see destination. We're happy to have contributed to this article and glad to seeNew Orleans locals share their love for our city. Read the full piece and discover what others have recommended, as maybe you will find some add-ons for your itinerary when you come to visit us and stay atHiggins Hotel.

The History of the Sazerac

February 12

New Orleans is a city full of mystery and intrigue, it’s only fitting that the most famous drink to come out of The Crescent City—the Sazerac—is equally as mystifying. In a town brimming with cocktails and celebrations, the Sazerac is synonymous with New Orleans and was even designated the “Official Cocktail of New Orleans” by the Louisiana House of Representatives in 2008.

Next time you sit down to drink this smooth but powerful concoction—made of rye whiskey, Peychaud’s bitters, Herbsaint, and sugar—remember these fascinating legends surrounding its creation.

The Sazerac dates back to the 1830s and it’s believed a Creole Apothecarist named Antoine Peychaud invented it in his French Quarter pharmacy on Royal Street. He added some dashes of his family’s bitters to his favorite cognac and served it in an egg cup called a coquetier, which is said to have morphed into the word “cocktail.” Another story claims that the owner of The Sazerac Coffee House began serving the drink with Sazerac-de-Forge et fils cognac and added a couple of dashes of Peychaud's bitters. Towards the latter portion of the 1800s, cognac became sparse due to an epidemic in the vineyards of France. The cognac was then replaced with rye whiskey, bringing us to our current delicious but strong recipe.

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The Big Easy’s Best Bets

The History of the Sazerac