Vieux Carré

Ingredients

Drink

• 25 mlrye whiskey
• 25 mlcognac
• 25 mlsweet vermouth
• 1 tspBénédictine

Bitters

• 2dashes Peychaud’s bitters
• 2dashes Angostura bitters

Also

• ice, for stirring and serving

Garnish

• a lemon twist
• or a maraschino cherry

Equipment

• a mixing glass
• a bar spoon
• a rocks glass

Directions

1. Use a rye whiskey rather than bourbon. Use a decent VSOP cognac for this.
2. Use a good sweet vermouth and keep it in the fridge once opened. An open bottle left on a shelf for months is what ruins more cocktails than any other single thing, and it should be refrigerated and used within a month or two.
3. Fill a mixing glass with plenty of ice.
4. Add the rye, cognac, vermouth, Bénédictine and both bitters. Stir it for a good 20 to 30 seconds.
5. Stir, never shake. The outside of the glass should frost and the liquid should feel cold and slightly viscous on the spoon.
6. Squeeze a strip of lemon peel over the surface to release its oils, then drop it in. That spray of citrus oil is the first thing you smell, and it lifts what is otherwise a dark rich drink.
7. Serve it immediately, while cold. It should be rich, spiced, herbal and warming, sitting somewhere between a Manhattan and a Sazerac.

Technique

• The Carousel Bar at the Hotel Monteleone genuinely revolves.
• The name means old square, referring to the French Quarter.
• Both bitters are essential and neither substitutes for the other.

Substitutions

• A good bourbon in place of rye, accepting a sweeter drink.
• Brandy in place of cognac.

Variations

• Served up in a coupe.
• With a cherry garnish, as at the Monteleone.
• Batched and refrigerated for a group.

History

Created by Walter Bergeron at the Carousel Bar of New Orleans’ Hotel Monteleone in the 1930s, named for the French Quarter.

Frequently asked questions

What is Vieux Carré?

Vieux Carré is a cocktail from United States: rye, cognac, sweet vermouth, Bénédictine and bitters, stirred over ice. Created by Walter Bergeron at the Carousel Bar of New Orleans’ Hotel Monteleone in the 1930s, named for the French Quarter.

How long does Vieux Carré take to make?

Vieux Carré takes 5 min of preparation and no cooking at all. The recipe makes 1 drink. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Vieux Carré?

Yes, within limits. A good bourbon in place of rye, accepting a sweeter drink. Brandy in place of cognac.

What is the most important thing to get right in Vieux Carré?

Use a rye whiskey rather than bourbon. Use a decent VSOP cognac for this.