Rich, spirituous and layered, it splits its base between rye's peppery spice and cognac's dried-fruit warmth, rounding them with sweet vermouth and a whisper of honeyed Bénédictine. Peychaud's bitters lend an anise-tinged lift and expressed orange peel brightens the nose, so it sips like a Manhattan with deeper, softer edges.
Garnish: Orange Peel, Maraschino Cherry
Stirred · Cocktail Glass · Up
add
Combine rye whiskey, cognac, sweet vermouth, Bénédictine, and Peychaud's bitters in a mixing glass with ice.
stir
Stir well until chilled and properly diluted.
strain
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, served straight up.
garnish
Express an orange peel over the surface and garnish with a maraschino cherry.
The Vieux Carré is the work of Walter Bergeron, who mixed it while tending the Carousel Bar at the Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans. Its name is French for "old square" — a nod to the city's French Quarter, the neighbourhood the drink was made to honour by name. The International Bartenders Association now includes it in its official list under The Unforgettables category.