Paul Kushner
New Orleans is famous for many things. There’s the French Quarter, Bourbon Street, and Mardis Gras.
And what’s one thing you can find in all of those places?
New Orleans cocktails are known for being classy yet novel, over-the-top yet refined.
They are influenced by the intersection of cultural roots and influences and the sheer number of people who visit yearly for parties and bar crawls.
Join me, and we’ll take a little trip through some of my favorite New Orleans Cocktails.
Best New Orleans Cocktails
The Hurricane
The Hurricane is a classic, refreshing cocktail with Prohibition-era origins.
You’ll need Jamaican rum, passion fruit juice, and lemon juice for this sweet red drink. There are a lot of myths surrounding this cocktail, but one thing I know for sure is that this tropical beverage always starts a party on the right foot.
Sazerac
The most iconic of New Orleans cocktails, the Sazerac is rye whiskey stirred with a muddled bitters-soaked sugar cube and poured into a glass rinsed with absinthe or anise liqueur.
While the recipe sounds like a magic spell, it isn’t hard, doesn’t require many ingredients, and will make you feel like a rock star.
Vieux Carre
The Vieux Carre, or “Old Neighborhood,” refers to the French Quarter of New Orleans, and the recipe for this one reflects the city’s cultural diversity.
The blend of flavors pulls from Italian, French, Caribbean, and American influences.
This complex, delicious cocktail requires rye whiskey, cognac, sweet vermouth, Benedictine, Angostura bitters, and Peychaud’s bitters.
Ramos Gin Fizz
Henry Charles “Carl” Ramos invented the tart, sweet Ramos Gin Fizz in 1888. The cocktails are sweet, tart, creamy, and citrusy.
You’ll need gin, typically London Dry, heavy cream, orange flower water, and an egg white for this one.
To get the perfect foam texture, you’ll first need to shake it for several seconds before adding the ice and shaking some more!
Bourbon Milk Punch
This single-serving Bourbon Milk Punch recipe is also excellent for a party as an alternative to egg nog.
You just need bourbon, whole milk, or any milk or milk substitute, vanilla extract, sugar, and fresh nutmeg. Shake, stir, or even blend the Bourbon Milk Punch. Use hot milk if you want something warm for a bitterly cold night.
Mint Julep
What’s more southern than a Mint Julep in a Julep cup? This refreshing and refined cocktail is a Kentucky Derby favorite and an excellent sipper on a hot, humid day.
All you need for this one is mint leaves muddled in simple syrup, bourbon, and crushed ice. The cooling Mint Julep is also the perfect indulgence for a cookout or a dinner party.
Brandy Crusta
While the name might not sound appealing, the sugar-crusted coupe glass the Brandy Crusta is served in sure is.
This sweet tropical cocktail includes brandy, Curacao, maraschino liqueur, and Angostura Bitters. I love serving this one for a fun special event like a birthday party or bridal shower.
Absinthe Frappe
Absinthe was illegal because the wormwood was thought to cause hallucinations or death. This green liquor is safe, and this simple and easy Absinthe Frappe is a great place to start.
Because absinthe is made from fennel and anise, it has an herbal, black licorice flavor, which some love and some do not. If you’re serious about the New Orleans experience, though, it’s something you have to try.
Cafe Brulot
The flaming coffee cocktail, Cafe Brulot is a New Orleans dessert favorite that includes Courvoisier, cherry brandy, Bacardi 151, cloves, orange zest, and strong hickory flavored coffee, like that found at the famous Cafe Du Monde.
The Cafe Brulot is a warming, delicious, spicy experience, but making it at home is for the brave as it is a long and involved process that includes heating the beverage over an open flame.
Pimm’s Cup
Pimm’s Cup is an easy-to-prepare cocktail made from mid-proof gin, ginger beer, lemon juice, and your fruit of choice.
It’s refreshing and bubbly, full of warming spice and refreshing fruit flavors.
Because it’s made with a mid-proof gin, it’s great to serve for an all-day gathering or event.
French 75
The French 75, on the other hand, is a champagne cocktail with high alcohol content. The cocktail features gin or cognac, champagne, lemon juice, and simple syrup.
The French 75 is sophisticated, zesty, citrusy, and mouth-watering. It’s a perfect accompaniment to a celebration. It also lends itself to many variations and many flavor profile possibilities.
Hand Grenade
The Hand Grenade is a fruity flavor explosion for your mouth. The name of this cocktail puts it in the novelty category, but the vodka, white rum, gin, melon liqueur, grain alcohol, and pineapple juice pack some serious flavor and strength.
Even if you’re stuck at home, you can still party Maris Gras style with the Hand Grenade. Pick up some plastic beads, call over some friends, and you’re good to go!
Cheers!
If you want to know a city’s history, culture, and vibe, eat its food and drink its cocktails.
While some New Orleans cocktails are influenced by tourism, most of the drinks invented, imbibed, and loved there, couldn’t have come from anywhere else.
If you can’t make it to The Crescent City, the next best thing is to make yourself one of their distinctive cocktails.
What’s your favorite New Orleans cocktail? Leave a comment and let me know.
12 New Orleans Cocktail Recipes
Ingredients
Instructions
- Pick your favorite recipe
- Gather all the needed ingredients
- Prep a tasty cocktail in less than 5 minutes
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