I’m partial to the New Orleans cocktails. If I’m making a Sazerac, I like this variation.

On the whole, though, my favorite has to be the Vieux Carré

• 3/4 oz rye
• 3/4 oz cognac
• 3/4 oz sweet vermouth
• 1/3 oz Bénédictine D.O.M
• 2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
• 1 dash Angostura bitters
• Optional absinthe rinse (I usually keep some absinthe in an atomizer because I refuse to throw out perfectly good absinthe)

Serve in a rocks glass with a lemon twist

At the same time, though, my love for bitter sometimes draws me to a Bonsoni:

• 2 oz Carpano Antica vermouth
• 1/2 oz Fernet Branca