Barfly: Vieux Carré

If any city can claim the title to the epicentre of mixology it’s New Orleans. And of all the famous cocktails that hail from the Big Easy-the dark and spicy Sazerac, the fluffy Ramos Gin Fizz, the ridiculous Hurricane-it’s the brooding and mercurial Vieux Carré that truly gets under your skin. All relative newcomer, the drink was invented in 1937 at the Carousel Bar in the Hotel Monteleone (which is still around and does a brisk nostalgia trade serving up their addition to the cocktail canon). It’s a drinker’s drink, meaning it’s four parts booze with two dashes of booze. That’s why I like to throw in the slightly unorthodox orange peel—for balance.

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¾ oz. rye (Alberta Premium will always do the trick)
¾ oz. cognac (Remy Martin VS adds a soupçon of class)
¾ oz. dry vermouth
¼ oz. Benedictine
dash Angostura bitters
dash Peychaud’s bitters

Mix all ingredients in a double old-fashioned glass over ice and stir. Garnish with an orange peel.