The Slightly Lower ABV Sazerac

I often mentioned that my Nr.1 recipe of choice is the Old Fashioned. It’s also a quick and easy way to experience how a spirit behaves in a cocktail. If that spirit is a brandy, cognac or rye whiskey I would probably go for a Sazerac style of drink which is actually a variation on the Old Fashioned. Why? Because these bold spirits work so well together with the extra anise flavors of this drink. 

No, Soberano is not the housebrand of my good friend Soberon, it’s a sweet Spanish brandy at only 36°. This is a product made by Gonzalez Byass, the producers of the best sherry wines. You can expect a soft and silky texture, with a full body. Lots of oak and roasted nuts. The name ‘Soberano’ is related to ‘Sovereign’ (in Spanish the v is often pronounced as a b), this brandy was created to highlight their relationship with the King of Spain. 

I received this bottle of Soberano Solera Brandy on the same day as a new bottle of Absente. It’s almost like a match made in heaven. This calls for an easy sipping Sazerac, slightly lower in alcohol. 

Henri Bardouin Absente is my favorite brand of Absinthe. I always have the 55° Absinthe in my homebar. This new flashy bottle (which looks absolutely stunning in any bar) is much lower in alcohol, only 26°. It would suit better in what we generally categorize as liqueurs. The 55° is also defined as a herbal liqueur, but with 55° it’s as strong as your base spirit. 

The Slightly Lower ABV Sazerac

Ingredients
60 ml Soberano Solera Brandy
10 ml Sugar syrup
2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
A few ml of Absente 26° for a rinse

Method
Rinse the glass with Absinthe (Swirl it around, you want a thin coating of absinthe on the complete inside of your glass) and add icecubes. If you don’t use too much Absinthe, just leave it in the glass. It there’s too much Absinthe left on the bottom, discard it. Because this cocktail is a bit lower in alcohol, you could discard the icecubes too. If the glass and the cocktail are both cold enough, this should give you a perfect experience. I actually like my Sazeracs with a huge block of ice, which will cool the drink but won’t add much dilution. I was almost out of ice, so had to settle for the smaller cubes.

Stir the Soberano brandy with sugar and bitters in a mixing glass with lots of ice. Strain the cocktail into the chilled and rinsed tumbler. Garnish with lemon.

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