Figs, licorice, herbs, spirituous
A striking digestif, especially after a large seafood dinner or a plate of jambalaya.
A cross between a Manhattan and a Sazerac, this luxe drink was once the signature cocktail of the venerable Restaurant de la Louisiane, a bastion of haute creole cuisine where presidential types signed into a famous guest registry known as the “Golden Book.” This drink makes an appearance in the 1937 book Famous New Orleans Drinks and How to Fix ’Em and has evolved into a cult classic. It’s one of those equal-parts cocktails that turns into a transcendent blend—much tastier than its parts might suggest.
¾ ounce (22 ml) rye whiskey (Wild Turkey 101 or Rittenhouse)
¾ ounce (22 ml) sweet vermouth (Vya or Carpano Antica)
¾ ounce (22 ml) Benedictine
3 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
Absinthe, to rinse the glass
Cherry or fresh fig slice, for garnish
Rinse a chilled coupe glass with absinthe. In a mixing glass, add ingredients and stir with ice, then strain into the prepared glass. Drop in a cherry or fig for garnish.