Sazeracs and Santa Marias at Licorous

The Sazerac is one of the most esteemed whiskey cocktails in the history of the spirit -- it carries the honor of being New Orleans' official cocktail, possibly the very first American-invented cocktail and some even posit that the Sazerac's original preparation in a "coquetier" provided the very origin of the word "cocktail" (the Sazerac Company takes enough stock in this claim to feature it on their website, but minimal research proves the honor dubious at best).

It's a tricky quaff that has been modified many times over its approximate 160-year-old lifespan, most dramatically when it comes to the ingredient the Sazerac contains the least of -- absinthe. Due to America's bizarre, oft-fluctuating and ultimately incomprehensible policies towards the small amounts of thujone in the spirit, Sazeracs were usually made with Herbsaint for most of the 20th century. Although the word "herbsaint" is derived from the creole term for wormwood, there is ironically no trace of the psychoactive plant of this anise-flavored substitution.

As of 2007, U.S. absinthe policy has grown more lax, reintroducing The Green Fairy into this classic mixture. It's interesting that absinthe would be a key component to such a famous whiskey cocktail, being another alcohol notorious for its to inability play well with other ingredients (try putting any amount of absinthe in a glass of orange juice if you don't believe me). A minimal application of the spirit is required if you don't want to be choking this particular piece of drunk history down.

The preparation traditionally involves two old fashioned glasses: one is filled with ice and the other contains a sugar cube and a few dashes of Peychaud's bitters muddled together. 1 1/2 ounces of whiskey (usually rye) are then added to the bitter syrup. The glass of ice is emptied and coated from the inside with up to a teaspoon of absinthe. After excess absinthe is poured out of the cold glass, the rye mixture is added and the drink is ready to serve with a lemon peel.

In the hunt for a decent Sazerac (without actually having to go to Sazerac, because that's cheating), I was referred to Capitol Hill's Licorous, a relatively new cocktailing counterpart to the swank eatery Lark. I was pleased to taste firsthand the formidability of their Sazerac -- Ryan, the bartender on call, mixed the drink with a staunch eye for detail, checking his work carefully against the bar's little black book.

There's no astringent anise taste here -- nothing astringent at all, just a smooth, refreshing appertif that brings out its lemon zest in a way I've never quite appreciated. Traditional wisdom says actually dropping the lemon zest in a Sazerac constitutes an abomination against liquor, but I'm fine with heresy so long as it yields a tasty beverage. For its complicated preparation, the great taste of a Sazerac is hedged in fundamentals - good whiskey served cold with just a little something to take the edge off.

The next intriguing whiskey drink on Licorous's menu was The Santa Maria, featuring Elijah Craig bourbon, Ramazzotti, rhubarb bitters, Saint Maria al Monte and orchard apricot. If you haven't noticed yet, Whiskey Wednesday is more or less aimed at Voracious readers who might not know what half of that good stuff is, so here's a brief rundown of the ingredients and what they bring to this spicy appertif.

Ramazzotti - Ramazotti is a brand of Italian tonic, often classified as medium style bitters. What does that mean? Well, besides the deeply underprivileged drunks of the world, most people (very literally) can't stomach ordinary bitters served straight. This is completely reasonable -- bitters were used as a sort of panacea for unscrupulous medicine men from everything from headaches to malaria before they came into fashion as a mixology staple. In fact, despite Angostura bitters being 44.7% alcohol, people of any age in the United Kingdom can buy them due to the fact it may very well be about as pleasant to drink straight as gasoline. Ramazzotti is a brand of potable bitters, meaning its completely reasonable to serve on its own. Campari and Fernet-Branca are two other examples of potable bitters, although both have a more severe taste than this "medium style" liqueur which slows down the drink without putting a dead stop to its sweetness.

Rhubarb Bitters - The bitters you DON'T want to put in your mouth!(TM) A dash of these non-potable bitters provides balance to any fruity, overly sweet mess of a cocktail.

S. Maria al Monte - The Santa Maria's namesake is a complex liqueur primarily known as an after-dinner digestive that's usually served neat. It brings ginseng, a bitter orange taste and even a little mint to the rest of the drink.

Orchard Apricot - It's... an apricot, not liquor. It sits at the bottom of the glass providing an anchor to the other ingredients' fruity undertones. The booze-infused fruit also provides a yummy dare at the end of your drink (Sure beats a worm!).

And of course, tying it all together is Elijah Craig. Bourbon seems to be the least utilized of the whiskey family when it comes to cocktails -- rye, scotch and canadians seeming to dominate the scene -- but Elijah Craig is a sweet, humble base for a drink filled to the brim with bitter barroom obscurities.

All in all, Licorous is a fine place to have a relaxing after-work drink. With its minimalist decor, steep prices and an almost haunting quiet besides a soundtrack dominated by Kings of Leon, The Pixies and Radiohead, everything about Licorous just screams "Alternative Airport Lounge." It's actually a little depressing -- but then again, so is booze.

Next week, I investigate the whiskey situation in one of Seattle's most curious new bars -- Tavern Law.