Inside Job

Nobody will suspect a thing if you just sit quietly and enjoy this sophisticated bourbon cocktail by Louisville bartender Jared Schubert. Called the Inside Job, it’s a twist on the Sazerac, a New Orleans classic featuring rye whiskey (and sometimes cognac), absinthe, sugar and bitters.

When choosing your bourbon, enlist a spirit with some heft to it. An 80-proof bourbon can work if you’re in a pinch, but one that’s 90-proof or above will stand up better against the other flavorful ingredients, like the maraschino liqueur. This cherry liqueur is also found in popular classics like the Aviation as well as modern classics like the Red Hook. Only a scant quarter ounce is required to lend its trademark bittersweet cherry notes to the cocktail.

From there, Schubert calls upon simple syrup, a dash of absinthe, and Angostura bitters. The absinthe adds fragrant anise notes to each sip, and the bitters bring aromatic complexity to the drink without the red hue supplied by the Sazerac’s requisite Peychaud’s bitters. Stir your ingredients with ice, strain into a glass and enjoy this smooth and flavorful whiskey cocktail.