Paulius Musteikis
The world’s first cocktail!
The Sazerac at the Greenbush Bar, 914 Regent St., isn’t a particularly “crafty” drink — not in the modern sense of the word, at least.
Invented in New Orleans in the 1800s and believed to be the world’s very first cocktail, the Sazerac has only three essential ingredients: rye whiskey, Peychaud’s Bitters and a light rinse of absinthe that gives the drink its spicy anise flavor.
Greenbush actually spritzes the absinthe into the glass — a technique I’ve not seen before. Like many bars, they also make their Sazerac with a sugar cube, Angostura bitters and a twist of lemon.
What better place to enjoy a short glass of delicately-flavored rye whiskey in the wintertime than this warm basement restaurant, with its low ceilings, dim lighting, and homey comfort food? Greenbush is a historic, family-friendly neighborhood fixture. It serves great pizza and great wine.
For many, Greenbush is known as a bourbon bar. No surprise, then, that the Sazerac is one of its most popular cocktails. For people who don’t like the flavor of anise, Greenbush serves plenty of other classic drinks. Its Old Fashioned, for example, is strong, not too sweet and never drowning in soda. Let’s hear it for the old-fashioned drinks.
