Rum for a Sazerac?

     I ran across an old 1950's era cocktail book the other day and I thought about how many of these old cocktails could be resurrected and brought back into the modern era of cocktails.   Rum being my primary interest, I try to make sure that it is being used as the primary spirit in the mix.   I had a customer come into the Rum Bar the other day asking for a Sazerac.   As I made the cocktail I thought there are a number of rums out there with notes of Cognac and it got my pea brain churning on how to make this classic cocktail a rum based cocktail for today.

       The Sazerac cocktail first appeared in the early 1800's when Antoine Amedee Peychaud mixed Cognac with his Peychaud bitters. By 1859 the cocktail became the signature cocktail of the Sazerac Coffee House in New Orleans.   The Sazerac name was taken from the coffee house that made it so famous.  The exact reason for the substitution of rye whiskey for the Cognac in later years is unclear, but price and availability of Cognac vs Whiskey may have had something to do with it.  The whiskey base version is generally what is used today.   The cocktail had a huge resurgence in the 1950's, an still to this day will be requested.

    Here is what I am thinking.   Take a rum like Abuelo 7 Anos that has definite notes of cognac as a base for the Rum Sazerac, I think that this exquisite rum would really make for a fine cocktail, especially one that there are not a lot of other flavors added to bury the fine flavor of the rum.


Ron Abuelo 7 Rum Sazerac

• 2 oz. Ron Abuelo 7 Anos Rum
• Dash of  Fee Brothers Old Fashion Bitters
• Lemon Zest

Place the rum and the bitters in a shaker half filled with ice and shake until thoroughly chilled.  Place a few drops of Absinthe in the Old Fashion Glass and swirl and dump it out.   Strain into the Old Fashion Glass and add a twisted lemon zest and serve immediately.

     I think you will find this cocktail very interesting and enjoyable.  The complex flavors seem to work very well.   Give this one a try, I feel like you will really enjoy it.  ;o)