Cocktail a la Louisiane
- 1 oz Rye Whiskey
- 1 oz Sweet Vermouth
- 1 oz Benedictine
- 1 barspoon Absinthe
- 4 dashes Peychaud's Bitters
Stir with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Lemon twist and a maraschino cherry for the garnish.
| Prep Time | 2 minutes |
| Servings | 1 |
| Category | Cocktail |
| Tags | 1880-1919 (Golden Age), Digestif, New Orleans |
| Proof | 53.2 |
| Strength | 1.8 standard drinks |
| Glass | Cocktail Glass |
| Temp | Cold |
The La Louisiane Hotel and Restaurant served this as their house cocktail staring in the 1880's. Unfortunately the hotel is not around anymore so the cocktail doesn't really have a home base like its cousin the Vieux Carre at the Monteleone Hotel. Fortunately Stanley Clisby Arthur included the Cocktail a la Louisiane in his book in 1937 which may have saved the cocktail from obscurity. Today it is experiencing a resurgence in New Orleans bars.
1 oz of Benedictine is a pretty significant amount. Add to this the abundant bitters and barspoon of absinthe and you have a concentrated, herbal, boozy cocktail. You could think of it as an aperitif but with the sweetness of the Benedictine, I like to have this one after dinner.
Use a vermouth that can stand up to the other brawny ingredients. Dolin will probably get lost. Think instead of Carpano Antica or Punt-e-mes.