Peychaud’s Bitters are the creation of a man named Antoine Amédée Peychaud, who migrated to New Orleans from the Caribbean in the early 19th century. He began selling his now famous cocktail bitters out of his apothecary in the French Quarter in the 1830’s. When it comes to taste, Peychaud’s Bitters are slightly sweeter and fruitier than the also well-known Angostura Bitters, with a more licorice-forward flavor profile. That made it appealing to the owners of the NOLA-based Sazerac Coffee House, owned by a French family invested in the cognac industry.
The Original Sazerac Cocktail Recipe
The Sazerac House is a Big Easy landmark, and to this day, their signature Sazerac cocktail is the city’s official cocktail! Peychaud’s Bitters are a key ingredient in the official Sazerac cocktail recipe — you literally can’t make one without it! The recipe calls for:
1.5 oz Sazerac Rye Whiskey 1 sugar cube 3 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters .25 oz Herbsaint (an Absinthe-like liqueur) Lemon twist
Serve in an Old Fashioned glass.
Other Peychaud’s Bitters Cocktails
While these Louisiana cocktail bitters are primarily used for the Sazerac cocktail recipe, there are other Peychaud’s Bitters cocktails that can be made. Try Peychaud’s in the Kentucky Longshot (peach brandy, ginger liqueur, and bourbon), the Vieux Carre (brandy, rye whiskey, sweet vermouth) or the Grandfather Cocktail (apple brandy, bourbon, sweet vermouth).
