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Cocktail History
The De La Louisiane, also sometimes called the La Louisiane or Cocktail à la Louisiane, is a classic cocktail that was first published in a 1937 book about the cocktails of New Orleans. It’s traditionally made with rye whiskey, Bénédictine, vermouth, absinthe, and Creole bitters, a mixture of dark and complex flavors inspired by The Big Easy that eventually became so popular it was made the house drink of the famous Restaurant La Louisiane.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Rye: This is a type of whiskey made with at least 51% rye grain, malted barley, corn, and water. We used Sazerac Rye 18-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey because it has a nice spiced flavor with notes of vanilla, pepper, and herbs. For a mocktail version of this drink, try The Gospel Responsible Rye Non-Alcoholic Whiskey in place of the whiskey.
Bénédictine: This is a liqueur made in France with twenty-seven herbs and spices, sugar, and alcohol. For a mocktail version of this drink, try homemade black tea, honey, and thyme syrup in place of the Bénédictine liqueur.
Sweet Vermouth: This is a fortified wine made with grapes, sugar, botanicals, herbs, sugar, and alcohol. We used Dolin Vermouth de Chambery Rouge because it’s a high quality vermouth with notes of herbs, coriander, hyssop, rhubarb, and citrus. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Apéritif Rosso in place of the sweet vermouth.
Absinthe: This is a spirit made with anise, wormwood, fennel, botanicals, and alcohol. We used Great Lakes Distillery Amerique 1912 Absinthe Verte because it’s flavorful and made locally to us. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Absinthe in place of the absinthe.
Peychaud’s Creole Bitters: This is a food product made with gentian root, anise, medicinal herbs, sugar, and alcohol. For a mocktail version of this drink, try All The Bitter Non-Alcoholic New Orleans Bitters in place of the Creole bitters.
Cherry: This is a fruit that has been soaked in brandy and rich syrup. We used Luxardo Maraschino Cherries because they’re high quality and delicious.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Mixing Glass: This is used to hold the ingredients while they’re being stirred. We used the Viski 17 oz Cocktail Mixing Glass.
Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. We used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.
Julep Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is stirred. We used the A Bar Above Julep Strainer.
Cocktail Pick: This is used to hold the garnish. We used one from the I-MART Stainless Steel Cocktail Pick Set.
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Tasting Notes
The De La Louisiane begins with strong, tingling aromas of absinthe and mixed spices, continues into a spicy rye flavor that’s complemented by the vermouth’s sweetness, and features the backbone of different mixed herbs and spices, anise especially, that linger on the back of the tongue long after you swallow.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: This recipe is no joke when it comes to booziness and complex flavor. Alex loved absolutely everything about it, while Kendall thought the absinthe was still a bit too prevalent for her liking.
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Essential Cocktail Book: A Complete Guide to Modern Drinks by the editors of PUNCH and Megan Krigbaum.
This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2024-10-14.
De La Louisiane
The De La Louisiane, also sometimes called the La Louisiane or Cocktail à la Louisiane, is a classic cocktail that was first published in a 1937 book about the cocktails of New Orleans. It’s traditionally made with rye whiskey, Bénédictine, vermouth, absinthe, and Creole bitters, a mixture of dark and complex flavors inspired by The Big Easy that eventually became so popular it was made the house drink of the famous Restaurant La Louisiane.
Ingredients
Method
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Add rye, Bénédictine, sweet vermouth, absinthe, bitters, and cubed ice to a mixing glass.
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Stir for 30-45 seconds.
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Strain into a cocktail glass.
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Garnish with cherry.
