The De La Louisiane is an old New Orleans cocktail. It's the bayou city's version of the Manhattan. It's the Herbsaint or absinthe that makes it different and almost brings it into the Sazerac territory, which happens to be one of my favorite cocktails. Like I said, it's an old drink, from a 1937 cocktail book from New Orleans. It's got heritage, one might say. I happened to get the recipe from the PDT Cocktail book, but the recipe's the same.
To make a De La Louisiane cocktail, stir with ice:
The De La Louisiane Cocktail: Rye, Benedictine, Vermouth, Peychaud's, Herbsaint
2 oz Old Overholt rye whiskey
3/4 oz Benedictine
3/4 oz sweet vermouth
3 dashes Herbsaint or absinthe
3 dashes Peychaud's bitters
and strain into a coupe with a cherry.
The result is a mix between a Manhattan and a Sazerac, with the absinthe and Peychaud's nose of the Sazerac, and the sweet vermouth/whiskey taste of the Manhattan. It's utterly drinkable, too. It reminds me of the bayous and the ports, some similarities between New Orleans and my own bayou city, Houston. Be careful, though: it packs a wallop. After two of them, you'll have to call a cab.
