The Seelbach Cocktail is a modern cocktail known for its combination of bourbon, bitters, and Champagne. Despite its pre-Prohibition flavor profile, its history is a piece of cocktail folklore: it was purportedly "discovered" in the early 1990s by a former bar manager at the Seelbach Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, who claimed to have found the recipe in an old bar guide. Later research revealed the recipe was an invention by the bar manager to give the historic hotel a signature cocktail. Regardless of the Seelbach's origin, its gained popularity for its combination of spirits and sparkling wine.
Seelbach Cocktail Ingredients
- 1 oz Bourbon
- 1/2 oz Orange Liqueur
- 3 Dashes Angostura Bitters
- 3 Dashes Peychaud's Bitters
- Champagne or Dry Sparkling Wine to top
How to Make a Seelbach Cocktail
- Combine the bourbon, orange liqueur, and bitters in a mixing glass filled with ice.
- Stir well for 15-20 seconds until thoroughly chilled and properly diluted.
- Strain the mixture into a chilled champagne flute or coupe glass.
- Top slowly with chilled Champagne or dry sparkling wine.
- Garnish with a long, expressed lemon peel twist.
The two bitters are crucial to the drink's identity, providing an intense, complex bittersweet spice that stands up to the bourbon and balances the sugar from the liqueur. A higher proof bourbon will ensure its flavor doesn't get lost in the mix. Always ensure the sparkling wine is very cold to maintain maximum carbonation.
Seelbach Cocktail Riff
For a slightly drier and more herbal take, substitute the bourbon with rye whiskey, which will amplify the spicy notes of the Peychaud's bitters.
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