In 1887, Jerry Thomas wrote one of the 1st published collections of cocktail recipes in the United States.
In 2009, the fantastic friend & cellist, Joel Noyes, asked the all-knowing Lucinda (of Little Branch fame) for a “refreshing whiskey based drink”…and our little posse of friends was introduced to the sublime “Vieux Carre” cocktail.
In 2010, I found a copy of Jerry Thomas’s cocktail book on eBay and won it. While looking through recipes I noticed a drink that could only be considered the precursor to the Vieux Carre.
That drink is the Saratoga:
-1 Part Brandy
-1 Part Rye
-1 Part Sweet Vermouth
-2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
Stir on ice, No garnish…
Simple as pie and damn good…the Mighty Vieux Carre only adds a little Benedictine and Peychoud’s Bitters with some citrus and brandied cherries on the garnish side…
This drink is really good and a great way to get in the world of the Vieux Carre but sit on the “Spicier” side of the drink.
Salud!!!