Sarno Sazerac
© 2025 Wicked Foods Inc. All rights reserved.
A classic Sazerac gets anise aromas from absinthe. To switch things up, we infuse the rye whiskey with star anise and vanilla. Orange bitters add a rad twist. Cheers!
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 5 mins + overnight infusion
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2 oz Vanilla Anise Whiskey (see Notes)
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- Ice
- 3 dashes orange bitters
- Swath of lemon zest, for garnish
Instructions
- Stir the infused whiskey and brown sugar in a shaker tin or mixing glass until the sugar dissolves. Add the ice and bitters. Stir gently for 20 turns to chill the drink then strain into a rocks glass.
- Twist the lemon swath over the drink to release its oils, rub it on the rim of the glass, then drop it into the cocktail.
Notes
- Vanilla Anise Whiskey: Score 2 vanilla beans and drop into 12 ounces rye whiskey (preferably small-batch rye). Add 2 pieces of star anise and let infuse in a mason jar (or the original whiskey bottle) for at least 24 hours. The longer you let it go, the stronger the flavor gets. If you want to infuse a full 750 ml (25 oz) bottle of rye, double these amounts.
*Recipe adapted from The Wicked Healthy Cookbook by Chad Sarno, Derek Sarno, and David Joachim. Check out the book here!
Find it online: https://wickedkitchen.com/sarno-sazerac-recipe/