This New Orleans Classic Is a Cross Between a Manhattan and a Vieux Carré

The À La Louisiane is a historic New Orleans cocktail comprised of rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, and Bénédictine herbal liqueur with a few dashes of absinthe and Peychaud’s bitters.

This classic, spirit-forward cocktail was served as the house drink at La Louisiane, a high-end restaurant in New Orleans’ French Quarter, built in the late 1880s. Over the years, the drink has had various names, including De La Louisiane, Cocktail à la Louisiane, and simply La Louisiane.

The À La Louisiane shares some spirituous traits with a traditional Manhattan, but is most associated with two other New Orleans creations: the Vieux Carré, a combination of rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, Cognac, Bénédictine and bitters, and the Sazerac, a mix of rye, Cognac, bitters, and absinthe. It is far less known than its Big Easy brethren. However, the more obscure drink had a boost in popularity once it was featured in Jim Meehan’s The PDT Cocktail Book in 2011.

The recipe was first in print in the 1937 book, Famous New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix ’Em written by journalist and Louisiana historian Stanley Clisby Arthur. In the book, the drink is called Cocktail à la Louisiane and the main ingredients of rye, sweet vermouth, and Bénédictine are presented in equal parts. 

In Arthur’s book, the recipe is accompanied by a note, “This is the special cocktail served at Restaurant de la Louisiane, one of the famous French restaurants of New Orleans, long the rendezvous of those who appreciate the best in Creole cuisine. La Louisiane cocktail is as out-of-the-ordinary as the many distinctive dishes that grace its menu.”

Why the À La Louisiane works

The traditional equal parts composition of the À La Louisiane renders a drink that is slightly less boozy but considerably more sweet and herbaceous. 

The recipe featured here balances out the heat and spice from the rye whiskey with dark fruit, vanilla and herbal notes from the sweet vermouth, as well as sweet, honeyed complexities from the Bénédictine herbal liqueur. 

Pulling back on the vermouth and liqueur makes way for the whiskey to shine, and the anise, clove and citrus characteristics from the few dashes of absinthe and Peychaud’s bitters to come through. Garnish this with a brandied cherry for a touch of sweetness and a nod to a classic Manhattan.