La Louisiane Cocktail

The La Louisiane Cocktail is an improvement over the Sazerac! Absinthe, rye whiskey and vermouth make this avant-garde cocktail a stunner.

If you like spirits like Sazerac or a Manhattan, this is for you. The Louisiana Cocktail! This unique mixed drink is a classic 19th-century cocktail that most people have never heard of. It’s a bit like a Sazerac: only better. How? It is rounded off by a more complex taste: it is herbaceous from Benedictine and lightly sweetened with wormwood. And, of course, there’s absinthe, the historically banned spirit that gives every sip a black licorice finish. This one is special: Here’s how it’s done.

What is a La Louisiane cocktail?

The La Louisiane is a New Orleans-native cocktail made with rye whiskey, absinthe, vermouth, and Benedictine. The exact release date of La Louisiane is unknown, but it was probably invented between 1880 and 1912 when absinthe was banned. It all started as the house cocktail of Louisiana restaurant in New Orleans.

You can also find this cocktail called De La Louisiane or Cocktail à la Louisiane. It is very alcoholic, with a round, complex and strong taste. The ingredients of the La Louisiane cocktail are:

• Rye Whiskey
• sweet vermouth
• Benedictine
• absinthe
• The bitters of Peychaud

Let’s talk about some of these ingredients, shall we? Rye Whiskey is pretty self-explanatory. But Benedictines? Absinthe? let’s mix it up

The lean on absinthe: is it worth buying?

So… absinthe. Is it part of your liquor cellar? Let’s face it: it has a bad reputation. In fact, in our hundreds of cocktail recipes, we were late in grabbing a bottle of this product. That’s mainly because it’s a niche spirit, but what stuck in my mind: Wasn’t that illegal at some point? Wasn’t it some kind of drug in the early 1900’s? Rest assured: absinthe is perfectly safe when consumed in moderation. Here’s what you need to know:

• absinthe is a green anise flavored spirit made from plants: wormwood, anise, fennel and other herbs. It was illegal in the United States from 1912 to 2007. (Wow.)
• How does absinthe taste? It tastes grassy, ​​with a strong black liquorice finish. A little goes a long Away with this stuff.
• Is absinthe hallucinogenic? nope! But that’s why it’s been illegal in Europe and the US for years. It became very popular in the 1840s, but a few years later it became unfairly associated with violent crime. Some claim it was invented by people who support the temperance movement. Either way, people started believing it: and the bans followed. But don’t worry: modern research has confirmed that absinthe is no more harmful than any other alcohol. Learn more about absinthe myths here!
• Is it worth buying? Yes, if you are an adventurous cocktail drinker! It is included in several classic absinthe cocktails such as Sazerac, Death in the Afternoon, and Corpse Reviver.

What exactly is Benedictine?

Here’s the thing. With La Louisiane you don’t need one, but two specialty liqueurs. (Well, and special bitters!) So what is Benedictine?

Benedictine is a herbal liqueur made in France. It is made from 27 different herbs, flowers, berries and spices and was invented in the mid-19th century. It is sweetened with honey and has a slightly sweet and tangy taste. Benedictine is used in some classic cocktails: the Singapore Sling and the Vieux Carré. It should be fairly easy to find at your local liquor store.

And what are the Peychaud bitters?

The last special ingredient you need for the La Louisiane cocktail: the Peychaud bitters! What are they and how are they different from Angostura Bitters?

• Peychaud Bitters: These bitters are slightly rarer and are best known for being found in the Sazerac cocktail. The taste is slightly sweeter than Angostura bitters (the most popular type of bitter you may already have on hand). The taste has hints of anise and mint.

How to make a La Louisiane cocktail

If all the ingredients are there, the preparation of the La Louisiane cocktail itself is child’s play! That’s how it’s done:

• Mix all ingredients in a cocktail glass. Why not a shaker like most cocktails? Shaking it in a cocktail shaker dilutes the drink: and in this case, you want it to be pure alcohol.
• You do not have ? Use any glass or container to mix the drink, then strain into the serving glass. But if you want to look like someone who knows their cocktails, grab one cocktail glass. (Plus, it looks cool.)

There are a few drinks very similar to La Louisiane that share a similar place of birth: New Orleans! Two popular New Orleans cocktails share striking similarities:

• Sazerac: The Sazerac is like a simpler La Louisiane: but it came first! It was invented in 1838 and consists simply of rye whisky, absinthe and peychaud bitters. It’s simple and classic.
• Old place: The Vieux Carré is very similar to La Louisiane: it also contains sweet vermouth, Bénédictine and bitter Peychaud! But there’s brandy with rye whiskey, and they’re equal parts vermouth.

Another New Orleans drink? Try the cold, creamy milk punch.

When to serve a La Louisiane cocktail

La Louisiane is a sophisticated and avant-garde cocktail. Only serve it to people who like alcoholic beverages! It’s perfect for sipping as:

• Happy hour drink
• Drink at dinner
• Late night drinks
• Evening drink between boys or between girls
• Aperitif at aperitif time