Lauded as a Creole creation, the Sazerac dates back to the 1830s, the reported birth child of one New Orleans resident and apothecary Antoine Amédée Peychaud, famous for the still-in-use Peychaud’s Bitters. The name of the potent cocktail comes from the Sazerac-de-Forge et fils, a French brandy reminiscent of the waning days of French Creole culture, and also a said favourite of dear Antoine. Years later the cognac was replaced by American Rye and briefly accompanied by Absinthe, the latter then being substituted by Peychaud’s Bitters. One can still taste its rich legacy at the historic Sazerac Bar in the Roosevelt Hotel.
5. Rob Roy
Boozy Rob Roy Cocktail with Scotch and a Cherry Garnishbhofack2
Think of the Rob Roy as the Manhattan’s Scottish cousin. The cocktail is traditionally made with Scotch whisky, sweet vermouth and bitters, and its most widely accepted origin story places its creation at New York’s Waldorf Astoria in 1894. The timing is significant: the hotel was close to the Herald Square Theatre, where the operetta Rob Roy, by composer Reginald De Koven and lyricist Harry B. Smith, was premiering. The show was loosely based on Scottish folk hero Robert Roy MacGregor, giving the drink its name.
What is whisky best mixed with?
Most whisky connoisseurs will tell you that the spirit is best had neat, but sprinkling in a few drops of water actually helps open up its flavours and unlocks its hidden notes. With water diluting the alcohol’s intensity, the usquebaugh’s more nuanced flavours and aromas are allowed to come to the surface.
Which whisky is best neat?
Bourbon is famously best enjoyed neat or on the rocks, and the Woodford Reserve Double Oaked, which undergoes a second round of ageing to gain its loaded flavour profile containing notes of caramel, maple syrup, dark chocolate, and baking spices, is no exception.