New Orleans in a glass, the Vieux Carré is another classic cocktail from the “Big Easy” otherwise known as “The Paris of the South”. The name translates from French as “old square” referring to the original old town, now better known as the French Quarter. Comprised of Brandy and Benedictine from France, Sweet Vermouth from Italy, and American Rye Whiskey, the Vieux Carré embodies the Cajun/Creole spirit of New Orleans: sweet, smooth, bitter, and boozy. It goes down easy, straight up, or on the rocks. Benedictine, a key ingredient, is a complex French digestif liqueur made from herbs and warm spices with a sweetness contributed by honey. If you can’t find Benedictine, you can substitute Dom B & B which is a 60/40% blend of Benedictine and Brandy. The International Bar Association calls for 30 ml. each of Rye, Brandy, and Sweet Vermouth; a bar spoon of Benedictine, and 2 dashes of Peychaud Bitters, served chilled straight up. As with many traditional recipes chefs and bartenders create their own variations of the original recipe. This recipe is formulated for the home bartender using simple measures and adjusting the recipe to use more easily found and more useful to the home liquor cabinet Dom B & B instead of straight Dom Benedictine. If you are a perfectionist-traditionalist bartender go with the original IBA recipe, otherwise, the recipe here is an easy, excellent addition to your home cocktail repertoire. Santé!

Vieux Carré Cocktail
Serves one

Ingredients:
1 ounce Rye Whiskey
1 ounce Sweet Vermouth
3/4 ounce Brandy or Cognac
½ ounce Dom B & B
2 dashes Peychaud Bitters
1 dash Angostura Aromatic Bitters (optional)

Mix the ingredients with a few ice cubes. Stir to chill and strain into a bar glass or your choice; garnish with a maraschino cherry or a twist of lemon or orange peel and enjoy.