Vieux Carre Cocktail
The Vieux Carre Cocktail embodies the city from which it was born. Potent with a charming smoothness to it. Vieux Carre is French for ‘Old Quarter,’ the original name of the French Quarter. The Big Easy is known for mixing up strong drinks, but the Vieux Carre Cocktail is a popular and classic staple.
It is first mixed up in the 1930s (1937 or 1938) by Walter Bergeron at The Hotel Monteleone. The hotel is another historic New Orleans landmark as it is home to the famous Carousel Bar. The rotating bar, installed in 1949, has intoxicated the hearts and minds of people across the world.
The Vieux Carre Cocktail uses Benedictine, bitters, rye whiskey, vermouth, and cognac. While it uses several ingredients, it is easy to make.
We are going to substitute the rye whiskey (even though we do love it) for Lone Elm Whiskey. It is distilled from grain to glass in Forney Texas using 100% soft red winter wheat. Lone Elm does have many characteristics of bourbon, but there is a sharp spiciness to it. The nose is almost like dry, fruity pebbles, and it is delicious. For our Louisana neighbors, Lone Elm Whiskey is now available in select places.
The recipe calls for Benedictine, which is a herbal liqueur produced in France. The liqueur is flavored with twenty-seven flowers, berries, herbs, roots, and spices and developed by wine merchant Alexandre Le Grand in the 19th century. It has the flavor of sweet honey accented with holiday spices, stone fruits, and an herbal nuance.
The Vieux Carre Cocktail
Ingredients
1.5 oz. Whiskey (we used Lone Elm Small Batch Whiskey)
.75 oz. Cognac
.75 oz. sweet vermouth
1 tsp Bénédictine
2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Garnish: lemon peel
How to make the Vieux Carre Cocktail
Combine ingredients in a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir well, strain into an ice-filled Old Fashioned glass and garnish.
If you like the classics check these out. The Sazerac (also from New Orleans), the Old-Fashioned, and The Boulevardier. For some modern drinks check out all of our Texas Whiskey cocktails you can make at home.