Rye, sweet vermouth and Bénédictine in equal measure make a rich, spirit-forward drink, the rye's spice wrapped in a honeyed, herbal warmth while a few dashes of absinthe lift a faint anise perfume over the top. Peychaud's bitters add a bracing, aromatic edge and a rosy depth, and a cherry waits at the bottom of the chilled coupe.
Garnish: Maraschino Cherry
Stirred · Coupe · Up
add
Combine the rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, Bénédictine, absinthe, and Peychaud's bitters in a mixing glass with ice.
stir
Stir until well chilled and properly diluted.
strain
Strain into a chilled coupe in which a maraschino cherry has been placed.
garnish
Serve up with the maraschino cherry.
This was the signature cocktail of Restaurant de la Louisiane, a renowned French and Creole dining room in the French Quarter, though no individual bartender is credited with inventing it. Stanley Clisby Arthur preserved the recipe as the "Cocktail a la Louisiane" in his late-1930s book "Famous New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix 'Em," calling for equal thirds of rye, Italian vermouth and Bénédictine with dashes of Peychaud's and an absinthe substitute. That last ingredient reflects a local habit — Herbsaint, a wormwood-free stand-in for absinthe, had been made in the city since 1934. The drink belongs to the same family of rye, sweet vermouth, Bénédictine and Peychaud's as its close relative, the Vieux Carré.