In 1938, Walter Bergeron, head bartender of the Carousel Bar in the Monteleone Hotel riffed on the Manhattan cocktail (rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, bitters), taking it to the next level in an homage to the romance of New Orleans. His changes were small but mighty. He added cognac (French Brandy) and Benedictine (a French herbal liquor made up of 27 plants and spices) and both Peychauds (light, candied cherry, orange) and Angostura (deep, spicy and savory) bitters. He named it “Vieux Carré”, French for “Old Square”, a nod to the French Quarter neighborhood in New Orleans which he saw as romantic, reminiscent of another time.
A High Desert Twist: Mezcal & Pine Liquor
I only know about the Vieux Carré because it happens to be my husband’s favorite cocktail. So I’ve learned to not only make it, but to also appreciate its mysterious and nuanced complexity. With the holidays approaching, I wanted to make a special version with notes of the high desert throughout that also acknowledges the magic of the historic plaza at the center of Santa Fe. To do this, I only make two main alterations to the classic— instead of rye whiskey, we add mezcal. And we swap out sweet vermouth for pine liquor.
Optional Infusion: Elevating the Flavors
If you want to take this version to the next level (which is impossible for me to resist) you can gently infuse the mezcal a few days in advance with dried red chiles, juniper berries and lavender. This is entirely optional but delightful. If you skip the infusion, you can make this cocktail in about five minutes.
Serving Suggestions: Straight Up or On the Rocks
This is a strong cocktail, so it’s important to know that you have options when it comes to serving. In the classic style, the cocktail is served straight, stirred with ice, strained into a cocktail glass and garnished with a lemon twist. But there is nothing wrong with serving it with ice or even ice and a splash of soda to lighten it up. I like to multiply this recipe by four and keep a jar in the fridge. Because there is no juice, it will keep for a long time in the fridge.
PrintOld Plaza Cocktail: The High Desert Vieux Carré
The Old Plaza Cocktail is a smoky and spicy twist on the classic Vieux Carré cocktail. It uses mezcal and pine liquor in place of rye whiskey and sweet vermouth, with optional infusions of red chiles, juniper berries, and lavender.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 1 cocktail
- Category: cocktail
- Method: mix
- Cuisine: New Orleans
Ingredients
- 5 New Mexico Red Chiles, seeded (optional) & stemmed
- 2 c. mezcal
- 1 t. dried lavender buds
- 1 t. dried juniper berries
- 3/4 oz. infused mezcal
- 3/4 oz. cognac
- 1/2 oz. pine liquor
- 1/2 oz. benedictine
- 2 dashes peychauds bitters
- 2 dashes angostura bitters
- 1 lemon peel, for garnish
Instructions
Making the infusion
3-5 days before you want to make the cocktail, infuse the mezcal. Place a dry skillet over medium heat. Quickly sear the red chiles on all sides just until their oils activate and the chiles soften. Turn off the heat. Transfer the chiles to a glass jar. Add the mezcal, lavender and juniper berries. Put a tight fitting lid on the jar and place it somewhere cool and dark, giving it a shake every day. After infusing, strain the mezcal through a fine mesh strainer and now it’s ready for use.
To make the cocktail
Fill a large glass with ice. Add the infused mezcal, cognac, pine liquor, benedictine and both bitters. Stir for around ten seconds and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon peel and serve immediately.
Additional Option
You can also strain the cocktail into a rocks glass with ice and a splash of soda water for a lighter version.
