The Vieux Carré (pronounced in the Cajun and Creole style "vyur kaa ray") is a classic co*cktail straight from 1930s New Orleans. It is a complex and fascinating drink that is as popular today as it was when it was first created.
The History of the Vieux Carré co*cktail
Walter Bergeron created the Vieux Carré at New Orleans' Hotel Monteleone in the 1930s, naming it after the French phrase meaning "old square" which referred to the French Quarter. The drink remains a specialty of the establishment and sipping one at the Monteleone's spinning Carousel Bar is a memorable experience.
The recipe was first printed in the 1937 edition of "Famous New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix 'Em" and it was a big hit in its first years. Though it has never been forgotten, the co*cktail did fall out of favor for a number of decades and went into relative obscurity. All of that changed during the recent resurgence of interest in classic co*cktails and the revitalization of great rye whiskey. With the skills of bartenders and the availability of fine ingredients, the Vieux Carré is once again on every co*cktail enthusiast's list of truly great drinks.
What Ingredients Are in the Vieux Carré?
This co*cktail is a short, slow sipper that begins with equal parts of rye whiskey, cognac, and sweet vermouth. Not one, but two bitters are used and there is a hint of a classic herbal liqueur to give it even more dimension. The Vieux Carré is a slightly sweet, spiced, and warming drink with herbal, citrus, and smoky notes. It's similar to a Manhattan but more complex thanks to the cognac, Bénédictine, and two kinds of bitters. It is a truly great co*cktail and one of the signature drinks of New Orleans.
"If you love a Manhattan or Old Fashioned, the Vieux Carré is the next drink to add to your rotation. Essentially a Manhattan with a few additions that make it something entirely its own. There are several ingredients to collect, which make this a tougher drink to execute, but the effort is well worth it." —Tom Macy
Make one Vieux Carré and measure its volume in ounces before and after stirring with ice and straining. The difference between the numbers is the amount of water that is incorporated into the drink.
Multiply each ingredient, including the water, by the number of servings you want to make.
For the bitters, divide the number you got in Step Two by 2. Bitters tend to become more pronounced over time in batched co*cktails so you don't need to use as much. Alternatively, since the recipe calls for 1 to 2 dashes of each type of bitters, you can just assume 1 dash in your initial calculations.
Use the resulting numbers to help you figure out how many bottles of alcohol you'll need to buy. Remember that alcohol is usually sold in 750mL bottles. 750mL is approximately 25 1/4 ounces.
Once you have your ingredients, measure them out according to the math you did in Steps 2 and 3 (including the water).
Mix the ingredients together, place in a serving vessel, and chill well.
To serve, measure out the amount of co*cktail you recorded in step 1 after being stirred with ice and strained. Pour it into a glass filled with ice and garnish as directed.
Though the rye whiskey and cognac are equal pours in the Vieux Carré, the rye takes center stage. Its naturally spicy flavor profile brings it to the forefront of this drink and that's why it's important to choose a great rye. The market for rye whiskey continues to expand and this recipe is a perfect place to explore any new bottle you come across. Many of the best rye whiskeys are coming from small craft brewers so look around for bottles that may not get national attention. There are some hidden gems out there.
How Strong Is the Vieux Carré?
Most rye whiskey is bottled above the standard 80-proof. This higher strength allows those spicy rye notes to really stand out and adds to the depth of the whiskey. It also makes rye a perfect option for any whiskey co*cktail. With that noted, the Vieux Carré's estimated alcohol content using a full-flavored, 100-proof rye whiskey along with a mild 80-proof cognac is about 29 percent ABV (58 proof), one of the strongest co*cktails you can mix up. While it is potent, it's also full of flavor and that is why the original recipe makes just under a 3-ounce drink. Go slow with this one as it is very easy to have one too many.
Rye whiskey pairs well with classic mixers like ginger ale, soda water, or cola. Additionally, it's a key ingredient in classic co*cktails such as the Manhattan and the Whiskey Sour.
We can view the New Orleans classic Vieux Carré as a manhattan, but it has taken three departures from the classic: its split of rye and cognac; its addition of an herbal modifier in Bénédictine; and its eschewing the traditional co*cktail glass for a rocks glass full of ice.
Traditionally this drink has Benedictine in it, a liqueur made in Normandy, France, from herbs, spices, and saffron. If you don't have it, as I didn't, use yellow Chartreuse or Izarra, a Basque herbal liqueur. Although untraditional, you can also leave it out if it's unavailable.
In this recipe, we're recommending (if you can find it) Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth. This vermouth is a slightly bitter and more full-bodied mixer, with notes of fig, cacao, and caramel in addition to the vanilla for which it's famous.
“If you muddle the lemon, you get the oils and the juice. Add some mint in there: It's fresh, it's lively, and a really nice way to start appreciating rye.”
Rye whiskey can be enjoyed in a variety of ways, depending on personal preference. Some people prefer to drink it neat, meaning straight out of the bottle without any additional ingredients. Others may prefer it on the rocks, which means served over ice to slightly dilute the whiskey.
The Vieux Carre is a classic New Orleans creation. Literally meaning “old square” in French, the Vieux Carre is named after the city's French Quarter where it was invented in the 1930s. The man responsible was Walter Bergeron, head bartender at what would become the Hotel Monteleone's iconic Carousel Bar.
The Vieux Carré and Manhattan both favor sweet vermouth in place of the sugar cube/simple syrup used in the Sazerac and Old Fashioned. But it's the addition of brandy, which is measured here in equal parts to the whiskey, and—more importantly—Bénédictine that separates this piece of Louisiana history from all others.
The Vieux Carré is at once boozy, sweet, bitter and smooth—in other words, it's New Orleans in a glass. The drink features several strong ingredients. In most cases, rye or cognac could carry a co*cktail on their own, but the Vieux Carré calls for both in a split-base technique that allows each component to shine.
Ingredients. Galliano has numerous natural ingredients including star anise, Mediterranean anise, juniper berry, musk yarrow, lavender, peppermint, cinnamon, and Galliano's hallmark vanilla flavour. Galliano uses vanillin for flavouring and sugar and glucose syrup for sweetening.
This sweet vermouth has a rich, complex flavor with notes of vanilla, caramel, and herbs. Its sweetness complements the bitterness of the Campari, creating a well-balanced co*cktail. Vieux Carré is a classic co*cktail with a rich history and a sophisticated flavor profile.
They offer a VSOP cognac that becomes a versatile choice while preparing a Vieux Carre. It has a rich, fruity character that pairs well with rye whiskey and other ingredients in Vieux Carre.
That sweetness can cloy if it's not suitably chilled and diluted, which is why almost everyone chooses to make it on the rocks. It was definitely conceived that way by Bergeron himself, and I would never say a Vieux Carré on ice is in any way incorrect, but that's not how I make it.
Ginger beer or ale mix “well with all whiskey types. Whiskey's natural spice notes meld well with the sweet spices of ginger ale and ginger beer,” says Newman. “Cola's a bit harder to mix,” she says.
Rye whiskey is made from a mash of at least 51% rye and aged in charred oak barrels. It has a spicy, peppery flavor with notes of cinnamon and clove. Rye whiskey pairs well with hard, aged cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano and Gouda, as well as blue cheeses like Roquefort and Stilton.
Introduction: My name is Tish Haag, I am a excited, delightful, curious, beautiful, agreeable, enchanting, fancy person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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