De La Louisiane

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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. 

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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. I used Sazerac Rye 18-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey.

Bénédictine: This is a liqueur made in France with twenty-seven herbs and spices, sugar, and alcohol.

Sweet Vermouth: This is a fortified wine made with grapes, sugar, botanicals, herbs, sugar, and alcohol. I used Dolin Vermouth de Chambery Rouge.

Absinthe: This is a spirit made with anise, wormwood, fennel, botanicals, and alcohol. I used Great Lakes Distillery Amerique 1912 Absinthe Verte.

Peychaud's Creole Bitters: This is a food product made with gentian root, anise, medicinal herbs, sugar, and alcohol.

Cherry: This is a fruit that has been soaked in brandy and rich syrup. I used Luxardo Maraschino Cherries.

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Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I 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. I used the Viski 17 oz Cocktail Mixing Glass.

Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. I 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. I used the A Bar Above Julep Strainer.

Cocktail Pick: This is used to hold the garnish. I used one from the I-MART Stainless Steel Cocktail Pick Set.

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Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Orange-brown color

• Aroma: Strong absinthe and spices

• Taste: Spicy rye flavor complemented with vermouth sweetness

• Finish: Mixed herbs and spices and anise

Kendall’s Rating: ⭐⭐

Kendall’s Take: "This recipe is no joke when it comes to booziness and complex flavor. I personally found it to be way too strong, especially on the absinthe notes. Just like its siblings the Sazerac and Vieux Carré, I couldn't drink more than a few sips and think it'll be a few more years before I can."

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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.