Peychaud's Bitters

Peychaud's Bitters is a bright scarlet, anise-scented cocktail bitters born in the French Quarter of New Orleans, created by the Creole apothecary Antoine Amédée Peychaud in the mid-nineteenth century. Like Angostura it is a gentian-based aromatic bitters — a high-proof botanical tincture used by the dash rather than drunk on its own — but where Angostura leans dark, clove-and-cinnamon and brooding, Peychaud's is lighter, sweeter and floral, with a signature note of anise, a cherry-and-fruit sweetness and a cool whisper of mint. Bottled at around 35% ABV in its familiar yellow-labelled bottle, it stains a drink a pretty cherry-pink and is the defining bitter of the Sazerac, New Orleans' official cocktail, as well as the Vieux Carré.