Before the Civil War, when New Orleans was the richest, most cosmopolitan city in the South, cocktails kept pace with the subtleties of the cuisine.

In 1850, the local agent for a French Cognac, Sazerac de Forge et Fils, opened a bar named the Sazerac Coffee House, where brandy drinks were the main draw. The Sazerac (now made with bourbon or rye whiskey) was flavored with absinthe and Peychaud's, a New Orleans brand of bitters.

When absinthe became illegal -- it was believed to cause insanity -- it was replaced with Herbsaint, a local anise-flavored liqueur. The ingredients may have changed, but the Sazerac has remained the Crescent City cocktail.