Vieux Carre recipe
New Orleans in a glass — rye, cognac, vermouth, and two kinds of bitters. Not for beginners.
Method: Stir ·
Glass: Rocks glass ·
Time: 4 min ·
Difficulty: Advanced ·
Family: The Martini Family
Ingredients
- 0.75 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse)
- 0.75 oz Cognac (Pierre Ferrand 1840)
- 0.75 oz Sweet Vermouth (Carpano Antica Formula)
- 1 barspoon Benedictine
- 2 dashes Peychaud's Bitters
- 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
How to make a Vieux Carre
- Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice.
- Stir for 30-40 seconds — this drink needs proper dilution to open up.
- Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube.
- Garnish with a lemon twist.
Garnish
Lemon twist.
Pro tip
This is a split-base cocktail — the rye and cognac play off each other beautifully. The Benedictine is the secret weapon; it adds an herbal honeyed note that ties everything together. Don't skip it or substitute it. If you don't have Benedictine, make a different drink.
History of the Vieux Carre
Created in 1938 by Walter Bergeron at the Carousel Bar in the Hotel Monteleone, in the French Quarter (Vieux Carre) of New Orleans. The split base of rye and cognac reflects the city's dual French and American heritage. It's one of the few cocktails that uses two base spirits in equal measure.
Flavour profile
Complex, Herbal, Spice, Rich
Variations
- Bensonhurst — Rye, dry vermouth, Maraschino, and Cynar
- De La Louisiane — Rye, sweet vermouth, Benedictine, absinthe, Peychaud's
- Remember the Maine — Rye, sweet vermouth, Cherry Heering, absinthe
Practise making the Vieux Carre in the free Virtual Bar game.