Nothing beats the classics. Still, no bartender can resist the urge to put their own stamp on the tried and true. Give it a little twist. We’re no different at Elyon. In this drink, classic meets chronic as we jazz up the sazerac to make our very own sazereefer.
The sazerac was first created sometime in the early 1800s. Throughout its long history, however, it's never lost its roots, even if the cocktail has shifted liquors and forms. It’s a New Orleans drink through and through. First crafted with French brandy (Sazerac de Forge et Fils, hence the cocktail name), the drink now usually uses a base of American rye whiskey. It’s got all that American spice but it's still full of French flavor and oomph. Just like the town it hails from. Know what else has a long history in New Orleans? Cannabis. Thanks to the jazz musicians that thrived in the city in the 1920s and 30s, cannabis’s presence in New Orleans is practically immortalized in song. Did you know muggles isn’t just a term for non-magical folk? It’s actually slang for cannabis...thanks to Louis Armstrong. Along with others like Bessie Smith, Fats Waller, Ella Fitzgerald and many more, Louis Armstrong was singing the praises of cannabis. Literally. And probably slinging back a few sazeracs while they were at it.
What happens when the green fairy indulges in the devil’s lettuce? The sazereefer. The sazerac’s base is rye whiskey, but it gets its French flair from an absinthe rinse. The sazereefer gets its joie de vivre from a teaspoon of infused absinthe. And some cannabitters. Double the pleasure, double the fun. And just to stay on the green theme, we chose Chili Verde to infuse the absinthe. Well, not just because of the green theme. This strain is a hybrid that’s great for social situations--making it perfect for a cocktail infusion. It’s also packed with caryophyllene. This spicy terp mirrors the flavors of the rye. But the strain also has a hint of sweet on the nose, just like the cocktail. This drink takes some forethought as the infusions take some time. To infuse the absinthe, follow the old school method we outlined here. And here’s the cannabitters recipe. The SazareeferIngredients:
Directions:
With a traditional absinthe rinse, you would discard any excess liqueur after coating the glass. But as this is our classic with a twist--and it's where our infusion lies--make sure to keep every drop of absinthe in the glass. Not only will it get you The Most High, it also adds a lovely herbal undertone to the drink. Let’s all raise a glass and toast to the green fairy, the devil’s lettuce, Louis Armstrong and New Orleans. Santé!
