Vieux Carré
ClassicIBA OfficialThe French Quarter, layered in a glass.
Deep and complex. Rye's spice and cognac's fruit sit over sweet vermouth and honeyed Bénédictine, with two bitters weaving the whole thing together — a slow, contemplative sipper.
Ingredients
- 1 oz Rye Whiskey
- 1 oz Cognac
- 1 oz Sweet Vermouth
- 0.5 oz Bénédictine
- 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
- 2 dashes Peychaud's Bitters
- Lemon twist · optional garnish
Method
- 1
Add the rye, cognac, sweet vermouth, Bénédictine, and both bitters to a mixing glass with ice.
- 2
Stir until well-chilled, about 20-30 seconds.
- 3
Strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass.
- 4
Express a lemon twist over the top and drop it in.
The Story
Created around 1938 by bartender Walter Bergeron at the Carousel Bar in New Orleans' Hotel Monteleone. Named for the French Quarter — the "Vieux Carré," or old square — it's a rich, layered tribute to the city's cultures: French cognac, American rye, Italian vermouth, and herbal Bénédictine.
Recipe card
The whole recipe in one shareable image.
