Vieux Carrè Recipe

Ingredients 

25ml Rye Whiskey

25ml Cognac 

20ml Sweet Vermouth 

10ml Bennidictine 

2 dash Peychaud’s bitters

1 dash Angostura bitters

Method

Add all your ingredients to a mixing glass, fill with ice and stir for 30/40 seconds until the outside of the glass is frosty and ice cold. Fill your tumbler glass with ice and strain your cocktail into the glass.

Garnish

Lemon zest twist

Pro Tip

Peel your lemon over your mixing glass after you’ve finished stirring your drink. By doing this, when you strain your cocktail into your glass, it’s going to pick up more of those lovely lemon peel oils.  Agitating these oils enhances their aroma, so when you go to take the first few sips of your drink you’ll find delicate, complex notes.

About the Vieux Carrè

Meaning ‘Old Square’ in French, referring to the French Quarter district in New Orleans, the Vieux Carrè was created by bartender Walter Bergeron in 1938 at the Carousel Bar at the Hotel Monteleone.

You’d be forgiven for mistaking the flavour profile of this Vieux Carrè recipe for a classic Manhattan. Although they are very similar, the ratios used in the Vieux Carrè allow for a floral note to stand out.  This light, herbaceous note is thanks to the wonderful addition of Benedictine, a French herbal liqueur with a history spanning back into the 16th century.

An important question with any Vieux Carrè order. Bourbon or Rye? This is really just down to your preference. Whichever bottle you have lying around will work great, but, we think the spiciness of the rye works well with the delicate nature of cognac.