The historic city of New Orleans is celebrated for its vibrant music, flavorful cuisine, and its unique array of enticing cocktails. Among them, a classic yet less known, is the À La Louisiane. This spirit-rich beverage comes with a blend of rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, Bénédictine herbal liqueur, a touch of absinthe and a few dashes of Peychaud’s bitters. The cocktail claims its residence in La Louisiane, an upscale restaurant in the heart of the French Quarter, dating back to the late 19th century, where it still stands as the house special.
Over time, the cocktail underwent a series of name changes, including monikers such as De La Louisiane, Cocktail à la Louisiane, and simply, La Louisiane. The heritage of the drink is intricately entwined with that of two other famous New Orleans mixes - the Vieux Carré and the Sazerac. Despite its obscurity, the cocktail got its fair share of spotlight when it was featured in Jim Meehan’s The PDT Cocktail Book in 2011.
Journalist and Louisiana historian Stanley Clisby Arthur documented the first official recipe for À La Louisiane in his 1937 published acclaimed book, Famous New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix ’Em. In this book, he refers to the drink as Cocktail à la Louisiane and prescribes an equal measure of the main ingredients- rye, sweet vermouth, and Bénédictine.
Arthur notes, “This is the special cocktail served at Restaurant de la Louisiane, one of the famous French restaurants of New Orleans, long the rendezvous of those who appreciate the best in Creole cuisine. La Louisiane cocktail is as out-of-the-ordinary as the many distinctive dishes that grace its menu.”
The balance of flavors in the À La Louisiane creates a cocktail that’s not overtly strong, but it does strike a distinctive sweet and herbal palette. The one offered here balances the spiciness and warmth of rye whiskey with the dark fruit, vanilla, and herbal undertones of the sweet vermouth, while introducing a sweet, honey-infused complexity from the Bénédictine herbal liqueur.
By reducing the proportions of the vermouth and liqueur, the rye whiskey gets to take center stage, allowing the flavors of anise, clove, and citrus from the absinthe and Peychaud’s bitters to cut through. This is topped with a brandied cherry for added sweetness and a nod to its Manhattan kin.
To craft this historic beverage, add 2 ounces of rye whiskey, 3/4 ounce of sweet vermouth, 1/2 ounce of Bénédictine herbal liqueur, 3 dashes of absinthe, and 3 dashes of Peychaud’s bitters into a mixing glass filled with ice, and stir until it's well-chilled. Strain this concoction into a chilled coupe glass, and garnish with a brandied cherry for an authentic New Orleans experience.
