Forget Gin and Vodka, I Want Whiskey

There is so much hype behind the Martini and Cosmopolitan that many people forget two wonderful classics: Manhattans and Sazeracs. These are two very popular whiskey cocktails that are often overlooked by bartenders and sought after by patrons.

While sipping a sweet Manhattan made with fine whiskey one can appreciate the skill of that 19th century bartender at the Manhattan Club. When asked to make a special cocktail for the governor of New York he had the sensational idea to add vermouth to a cocktail, beginning the journey to the first Martini. The Sazerac is equally significant from a historical aspect and it's long-lasting popularity is a testament to the composition of it's parts. It all began with Antoine Amadie Peychaud and his medicinal Peychaud Bitters, leading to the inaugural Sazerac cocktail with the now outlawed Absinthe. From there, the Sazerac Coffee House in New Orleans and it's 125 foot-long bar to the substitution of rye whiskey for the original brandy or cognac as Americans' tastes changed.

Both cocktails are worth adding to your personal or professional drink repertoire.