3 Classic Whiskey Cocktails That Every Sophisticate (You) Should Know How to Make

The Sazerac's delightfully weird story involves 1883 New Orleans and the word "apothecary." It's considered one of the first true cocktails, meaning spirits, sugar, water, and bitters — before liqueurs joined the party — and it was the invention of Antoine Amedie Peychaud, a pharmacist. While the original base liquor was French brandy, it was updated to rye whiskey in the 1870s. For that, we are glad.

The Recipe: Rinse a chilled rocks glass with absinthe, then add crushed ice. Set aside. In a cocktail mixer, stir 1.5 oz. rye whiskey, and three dashes of Peychaud's Bitters (now you know) together with ice. Discard the ice and shake off excess absinthe from the rocks glass, strain the drink into the glass, and top with a lemon peel.