Sazerac: The Official Cocktail of Louisiana?

The Sazerac is one of the oldest known cocktails, with its origins in pre-Civil War New Orleans, Louisiana. The original drink is based on a combination of Cognac and bitters created by Antoine Amédée Peychaud. Since its creation, many different recipes have evolved for the drink, usually involving some combination of Cognac, rye whiskey, absinthe, pastis, Peychaud's bitters, and Angostura bitters.

YES, there is a bill in the Louisiana Senate (Bill No. 6 by Sen. Edwin Murray, D-New Orleans) to enact R.S. 49:170.15, relative to state symbols; to designate the Sazerac as the official state cocktail; and to provide for related matters.

Murray wants the Sazerac commemorated at a festival this Summer in New Orleans as the "official state cocktail" and does not foresee any opposition. CHEERS! :)



The Sazerac cocktail was named by John Schiller in 1859 upon the opening of his Sazerac Coffee House in New Orleans. Both most likely derive their name from a popular brand of Cognac, Sazerac-du-Forge et fils .

A recipe for the Sazerac is listed in Famous New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix 'Em by Stanley Clisby Arthur, (published in 1937).

Jeffrey Morgenthaler writes about bartending and mixology (all the way from Eugene, Oregon) and has a great blog entry on Sazerac.