In 1838, Antoine Peychaud Jr. opened an apothecary in the French Quarter. There he served a remedy for stomach ailments made by mixing brandy with a proprietary tincture of bitter gentian root soaked with botanicals and other spices in high-proof alcohol. The combination was soon in demand across the city, and eventually became the basis for one of New Orleans’ first cocktails, the Sazerac. Keep reading »
