Vieux Carré

1 tsp Benedictine
2 dashes of Peychaud's bitters
2 dashes of Angostura bitters
1 ounce Rye
1 ounce Cognac (Hardy VS is reasonably priced, but Bourbon works as well)
1 ounce sweet vermouth
Lemon twist

Shake the liquid ingredients vigorously with ice. Strain into an ice-filled old-fashioned glass. Garnish with lemon twist.

Inspired by and stolen from The Ultimate Bar Book. This classic cocktail from the 1930s hails from the Carousel Bar at the Monteloeone Hotel, and is named for the French Quarter in New Orleans. This is one of our favorite bars anywhere. Nikki and I have had various versions of this cocktail, from upscale bars to dirty dives across New Orleans and other cities as well. In my opinion, these have seemed to miss something here and there. Maybe it was the bartenders, or our general preference to the old fashioned and the sazerac, but this balance of sweet whiskey and rye along with the addition of the Bénédictine herbal liqueuer makes this a winner.

~ Michael

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