If you know your way around the classic cocktails, you’ll never be stuck when someone asks you to make their favorite drink. But sometimes it’s fun to branch out beyond the well-known drinks and look at those that aren’t as famous, but can be just as delicious. Drinks like the La Louisiane cocktail, which is a combination of rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, and Benedictine, are complex and fascinating, and they deserve to be on your radar.
How to make the La Louisiane
Besides the fact that you’ll look pretty knowledgeable about cocktails by whipping out this lesser-known drink, it’s a flavorful, complex drink. As we mentioned previously, all of the various flavors work in perfect unison. Even though it has more ingredients than drinks like the Old Fashioned and Manhattan, the steps to make it aren’t much more complicated. Make it once, and you’ll fall in love with its nuanced flavor profile.
Ingredients:
- 2 ounces of rye whiskey
- 3/4 ounce of sweet vermouth
- 1/2 ounce of Benedictine
- 2-3 dashes of absinthe
- 2-3 dashes of Peychaud’s bitters
Method:
1. Add ice to a mixing glass.
2. Pour in the rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, Benedictine, absinthe, and Peychaud’s bitters.
3. Stir gently to combine.
4. Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
5. Garnish with a cocktail cherry.
What is the La Louisiane?
If you already enjoy the Boulevardier or its close relative the Vieux Carré, you’re going to enjoy the La Lousiane. Your soon-to-be favorite cocktail is made with rye whiskey, Benedictine (a French herbal liqueur), sweet vermouth, absinthe, and Louisiana’s favorite Peychaud’s bitters. It’s a complex, flavorful cocktail with hints of peppery rye flavors, herbal notes from the
If you’re a fan of classic cocktails, you’ve probably already perfected drinks like the mojito, Manhattan, daiquiri, margarita, and more. It’s time to branch out into lesser-known cocktails. A good start is the flavorful, complex, boozy La Louisiane cocktail. Peppery, sweet, herbal, and spicy. What’s not to love? A drink like this will make you want to look up other classic, lesser-known drinks (like the Hanky Panky or Bee’s Knees) and give them a try as well.
What is its history?
Not surprisingly, the La Louisiane comes from New Orleans. A variation on the Vieux Carré, it’s believed to have been invented at the La Louisiane Hotel in the late 1800s. It didn’t appear in print until 1937 in Stanley Clisby Arthur’s book ‘Famous New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix ’Em’. It was mostly lost to time until it was unearthed like many classic
What are the famous cocktails of New Orleans?
You might not have heard of the La Louisiane before, but you’ve almost certainly heard of New Orleans’ other famous cocktails, and we think this drink deserves its place among them. So if you’re looking to branch out and try more of the distinctive flavors of this region, you can try classic New Orleans cocktails like the Vieux Carré, a similar drink using rye whiskey and cognac, along with the same Benedictine that gives the La Louisiane its distinctive flavor.
Plus there’s the most iconic cocktail of New Orleans, the Sazerac that also uses rye whiskey and Peychaud’s bitters, but in this case adds absinthe as well as sugar for a serious anise kick. Or if you’re after something a bit less boozy and more fluffy, try the Ramos Gin Fizz that uses gin plus egg white and cream, shaken to form a light and fluffy foam, which is flavored with citrus and orange flower water. Finally another specialty of the town is the brandy milk punch, which uses brandy and cream with a sprinkle of nutmeg for a creamy, sweet, and delicious drink that’s popular around the holidays.
