The Sazerac

Ingredients

1.   

                      .75 oz. simple syrup (or 1 sugar cube)

2         1/2 oz. rye whisky

           3 dashes Peychaud's Bitters

           Absinthe

           Lemon peel

           Low ball or Sazerac glass

Directions

1. Fill the low ball glass with ice and cold water, set aside
2. In a regular pint glass or shaker put three or four ice cubes, pour rye whiskey, simple syrup and bitters into glass
3. Stir well, one to two minutes, let sit and, for god’s sake, DO NOT shake.
4. Peel a strip of lemon peel, use a good, beautiful lemon, nobody likes an ugly lemon.
5. Empty low ball glass of the water and ice.
6. Rinse low ball glass with absinthe.  That means, a few drops in the glass, swirl around to coat the inside of the glass and dump out the rest.
7. Strain contents of the pint glass into the low ball.
8. Rim low ball with the lemon peel, twist over then, hang peel on side of low ball glass.
9. Drink the oldest cocktail in America.  It’s the best drink you will ever have.

Use a good and powerful rye whiskey.  Sazerac, Old Overholt or Rittenhouse brands do well as they stand up to the sweetness of the simple syrup.  A variation and traditional way to get the sweetness is to muddle a sugar cube with a few drops of water in the low ball glass.