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Cocktail History
The Vieux Carré is a classic cocktail that was created by Walter Bergeron at Carousel Bar inside the Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans, Louisiana. Similar to the Sazerac, another drink inspired by The Big Easy, it’s made with whiskey and Creole bitters, but it splits the base spirit with brandy and adds sweet vermouth, Bénédictine, and aromatic bitters for more complexity.
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 Heaven Hill Distillery Rittenhouse Rye.
Cognac: This is a type of brandy made in Cognac, France with distilled white wine. I used Courvoisier VSOP Cognac.
Sweet Vermouth: This is a fortified wine made with grapes, sugar, botanicals, herbs, sugar, and alcohol. I used Dolin Vermouth de Chambery Rouge.
Bénédictine: This is a liqueur made in France with twenty-seven herbs and spices, sugar, and alcohol.
Peychaud’s Creole Bitters: This is a food product made with gentian root, anise, medicinal herbs, sugar, and alcohol.
Aromatic Bitters: This is a food product made with botanicals, herbs, and alcohol. I used Angostura Aromatic Bitters.
Orange Peel: This the peel of an orange that has been cut into a strip.
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.
Peeler: This is used to remove the garnish peel from the citrus. I used the OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Peeler Set.
Tasting Notes
This cocktail has the following flavor profile:
• Appearance: Orange-brown color
• Aroma: Orange zest and whiskey spices
• Taste: Spicy rye flavor muted with vermouth sweetness
• Finish: Herbal tinge
Kendall’s Take: “I could tell from the first whiff that I wouldn’t care for this drink, and judging from the way I visibly winced while tasting it, I was right. Although I’ve appreciated the chance to taste the three most famous New Orleans-inspired cocktail recipes (the Sazerac, De La Louisiane, and now the Vieux Carré), all three are just too bitter for my palate. I almost always choose gin or vodka drinks over a whiskey base, but if I were going to drink whiskey, I much prefer bourbon recipes—more specifically ones that balance bourbon’s spiciness and burn with tangy citrus juice or a sweeter liqueur.”
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.
Vieux Carré
Description
The Vieux Carré is a classic cocktail that was created by Walter Bergeron at Carousel Bar inside the Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans, Louisiana. Similar to the Sazerac, another drink inspired by The Big Easy, it's made with whiskey and Creole bitters, but it splits the base spirit with brandy and adds sweet vermouth, Bénédictine, and aromatic bitters for more complexity.
Ingredients
Method
Add rye, brandy, Bénédictine, sweet vermouth, and bitters to a mixing glass.
Fill mixing glass with cubed ice.
Using a bar spoon, stir for 30-45 seconds until well-chilled and slightly diluted.
Add a clear ice cube to a lowball glass.
Using a julep strainer, strain into lowball glass.
Garnish with orange peel.
