Your Latest Reason to Drink in New Orleans

The Sazerac House’s new headquarters is a cocktail-lover’s dream.

More than 99 bottles of booze on the wall: Sazerac Rye and other spirits made by the company. (Claire Bangser)

Like many good tales, the story of The Sazerac House starts with a still – a two-story, 500-gallon copper beauty that turns out a barrel of rye a day. Located at the edge of the French Quarter, the whiskey maker’s new headquarters occupies a historic building, where visitors can celebrate New Orleans’ spirited past with tours, complimentary tastings, and exhibits about the Big Easy’s famed barkeeps and cocktails. Learn to make classics, such as the Sazerac, a souped-up old-fashioned that’s as in your face as the city itself: bold (2 ounces of rye whiskey – plus an extra 1⁄2 ounce, because it’s NOLA), mischievous (an absinthe-washed glass), with a style all its own (angostura and Peychaud’s bitters muddled with a sugar cube). Check the house’s calendar for classes presented by local bartenders and drink historians. Three for the holidays: whiskey pairings with chocolate (November 19) and cheese (December 7), and Creole holiday cocktails, such as brandy milk punch and cherry bounce (December 12) – drinks included, of course.