In recognition of Mardi Gras this past Tuesday, and National Absinthe Day this past Wednesday (March 5), today’s cocktail is an A La Louisiane (also sometimes called a De La Louisiane).
Recipe
- 2 oz rye
- 3/4 oz sweet vermouth
- 1/2 oz Benedictine
- 3 dashes absinthe
- 3 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
Add the ingredients to a mixing glass, stir with ice, and pour into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a brandied cherry.

I enjoy this cocktail. When made with a good rye (I used New Scotland Spirits Helderberg Rye), it’s rich and complex: just a hint of sweetness from the Benedictine, while the absinthe and bitters play against the spiciness of the whisky.
(I would love to find a locally made version of Benedictine.)
