It’s no wonder that booze has long played a role in New Orleans‘ rich past, given that it’s a port city where the good times roll 365 days a year. Some even claim that the fun-loving city is where cocktails were first conceived. In this article, we will look at some of the best classical cocktails from New Orleans.
While that claim is controversial, the fact that Antoine Peychaud created the Sazerac cocktail in his Royal Street apothecary in the early 1800s is undeniable. However, the Sazerac isn’t the only delicious cocktail created in New Orleans, and it’s just one of many to sample in Crescent City.
Some of the best drinks in the city, such as the Sazerac, are classic cocktails, while others contain no alcohol at all. They will, however, all relieve you of the Bayou’s oppressive heat and humidity. In New Orleans, you won’t have to seek hard to locate a cocktail. Restaurants and bars will offer them in fine glasses, but they will also be served in plastic go-cups “with legs.” Some NOLA drinks are shaken and others are stirred. Several, such as the Sazerac, were created in the city, while others have been embraced into the rich cocktail tapestry of the city.
The top 8 classical cocktails from New Orleans are listed below, along with a video of how to make the drink or a video of the establishment most associated with it-
1. Old Fashioned at Cure-
The cure is more than a bar; it’s a force that’s transforming Freret into a dining and entertainment destination while also raising the artisan cocktail standard for everyone. Seasonal ingredients from farm to bar drive the bus here, with a constantly changing and developing menu of new beverages to try. The team also excels at classics, with their Old Fashioned (and variations) highlighting and simplifying the traditional drink. With Wild Turkey Master’s Keep, demerara sugar, and two types of bitters, try the extra baller O.F.
2. Sazerac-
The Sazerac is more than a popular cocktail invented in Crescent City. It’s a complicated cocktail that’s powerful, spicy, and sweet all at once. It is also the official drink of New Orleans, according to the Louisiana legislature.
The original Sazerac was produced in the 19th century by Antoine Peychaud at his French Quarter apothecary using a mixture that included Sazerac-de-Forge et Fils cognac, absinthe, and bitters. Peychaud’s trademark bitters are still an essential ingredient in any perfect Sazerac almost a century later.
3. Grasshopper-
The Grasshopper, like many legendary cocktails, was created by a New Orleans bartender. The bartender in this case was the famed Tujague’s owner, and the year was 1918. Prior to Prohibition, records were a little dodgy. It doesn’t matter what day it is. Eight decades after the Sazerac made its debut in Crescent City, the Grasshopper was born.
Philip Guichet created the Grasshopper for a cocktail competition in New York City, according to records. While Guichet came in second place in the competition, he took home the real win by inventing a classic cocktail that is still served at bars across the country, including Tujague’s.
The Grasshopper is creamy, chocolatey, and minty, with low alcohol content. It’s also environmentally friendly. This is the drink for you if you prefer American candy-like Andes Mints and Peppermint Patties.
4. Brandy Milk Punch-
The Brandy Milk Punch, one of the world’s oldest cocktails, proves that milk has a place in cocktails. Despite the fact that it wasn’t originated in New Orleans, it’s one of the nicest cocktails to have at a French Quarter bar or over a leisurely breakfast.
Brandy, milk, nutmeg, sugar, and vanilla extract are the only ingredients in this luscious Brandy Milk Punch. But the enjoyment we’ve found when sipping a classic New Orleans cocktail at Tujague’s or eating brunch at Brennan’s is everything but basic.
Over the years, we haven’t been the only ones who have liked Brandy Milk Punch. Ben Franklin, it seems, was a fan as well. We’re guessing Franklin enjoyed Eggnog, which is a similar iconic drink.
5. Hurricane-
Every night, a large crowd gathers at Pat O’Brien’s to drink Hurricanes at the bar where the cocktail was created. The Hurricane was created by O’Brien in the 1940s. The crimson rum cocktail is equally as popular now as it was when sailors slurped it in hurricane lamps-shaped cups.
This sweet, boozy cocktail is dangerously easy to drink, with components including black rum, white rum, passionfruit syrup, and lemon juice. Whether you like it or not, the Hurricane is so well-known that it has its own glass.
The Hurricane is a delightful drink to guzzle across the corner from Bourbon Street on a humid New Orleans day, even if it’s not our favorite New Orleans beverage. It’s also a good cocktail to have with friends in Philadelphia when a hurricane makes its way up the coast once in a decade or so.
6. French 75-
New Orleans has long had French roots, dating back to the early 18th century when it was christened La Nouvelle-Orléans after a French lord. The French link may be seen in NOLA’s architecture and tasted in the city’s cuisine. Cocktail experts will recognize it in drinks such as the French 75.
Despite the fact that it was not originated in New Orleans, the French 75 is one of the city’s most popular cocktails. The bubbly drink can be found on the menus of luxury cocktail lounges and bars, including Arnaud’s bar, which is named… wait for it… The 75 Bar is a French establishment.
7. Absinthe Frappe-
You’d be mistaken if you thought the Grasshopper was the only green drink created in New Orleans. The Absinthe Frappe, created by Cayetano Ferrer at The Old Absinthe House in 1874, is as green as it is strong.
When we say the Absinthe Frappe is powerful, we’re not kidding. With ABVs as high as 70%, absinthe, the drink’s main component, packs a punch. Seeing is believing when it comes to the bright green color.
Absinthe has been banned for almost a century and isn’t as popular as vodka or rum. Absinthe Frappes, made with absinthe, simple syrup, soda water, mint leaves, and crushed ice, is ideal for fans of anise-flavored liqueurs like Pastis and Herbsaint.
8. Pimm’s Cup-
Although the Pimm’s Cup was not created in New Orleans, it is an integral part of London’s cocktail tradition. The gin-based cocktail has been a mainstay since it appeared at the Napoleon House in the 1940s, and it is neither new nor trendy.
Perhaps it’s a New Orleans drink after all, as a savvy Napoleon House mixologist doctored the Pimm’s Cup recipe to incorporate lemonade and 7-Up. It’s unquestionably a topic worth debating over a Pimm’s Cup… or three.
Conclusion-
Traditional concoctions in the city are more popular than ever, being shaken and stirred, relished, and served in bars across the city. Try them all, from an eye-opening brandy milk punch to the iconic Crescent City nightcap, the blazing chicory coffee-and-cognac Café Brûlot. Something as simple as a drink is a celebration and a throwback to a bygone era in a city steeped in history. Raise a glass to New Orleans’ history and some of the city’s most well-known cocktails. Here was the wrap-up of some of the classical cocktails from New Orleans. Check it out below.
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