Vieux Carré

Rocks glass38% ABV

A spirit-forward New Orleans classic of rye whiskey, cognac and the spiced sweetness of Bénédictine and bitters.

Rye whiskey, ideally 100 proof, for extra spice30 ml
Cognac, VSOP or better30 ml
Bénédictine15 ml
Sweet vermouth, ideally a high-quality one15 ml
Peychaud's bitters2 dashes
Aromatic bitters (Angostura)e.g. Angostura2 dashes
Lemon, to garnish (optional)1 strip

Method

Fill a rocks glass with ice so it chills while you mix the drink.
Pour the rye whiskey, cognac, Bénédictine, sweet vermouth, Peychaud's bitters and Angostura bitters into a mixing glass.
Fill the mixing glass with plenty of ice and stir for 30–60 seconds, until well chilled and lightly diluted.
Tip the ice out of the chilled rocks glass, add one large ice cube and strain the drink over it.
Twist a strip of lemon peel over the drink to release its oils and drop the peel into the glass as a garnish.

Walter Bergeron, Hotel Monteleone, New Orleans (1930s)

About this drink

The Vieux Carré was created in the 1930s by bartender Walter Bergeron at the Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans' French Quarter, the neighbourhood it is named after. It combines the calm of rye with the fruit of cognac and a touch of monastery herbs from Bénédictine: a drink that insists on balance between strength and finesse. Peychaud's bitters give it its unmistakable New Orleans fingerprint.

Questions and answers

What makes the Vieux Carré a New Orleans classic?

It blends rye whiskey and cognac with Bénédictine and both of New Orleans' classic bitters, Peychaud's and Angostura: a complex, spirit-forward cocktail named after the city's French Quarter.

Can I leave out the cognac and use only rye in a Vieux Carré?

You can, but you lose the round, grapey depth the cognac adds. The two spirits together are what make the Vieux Carré more than just another Manhattan variation.