What do the hurricane, bourbon milk punch, and the Ramos gin fizz all have in common? They all hail from the great cocktail town of New Orleans, and are all good options for celebrating Fat Tuesday in style. But if you're a sucker for classic, spirit-forward cocktails like I am, then there's only one way to celebrate Mardi Gras: with a classic Sazerac.
I've enjoyed Sazeracs in many iterations: served on the rocks or straight up in a martini glass, with the Sazerac brand of whiskey, and even with fruit infusions. Mark my words, though: the most perfect version of a Sazerac is this minimalist one from my friend Sam Treadway, bartender at Boston's Backbar.
I reached out to Sam to find out what makes his Sazerac so memorable. As it turns out, the Big Easy cocktail has a special place in his heart, so he gives it plenty of due attention. "It needs nothing too fancy," he told me. "Just lots of love, because it's my favorite drink."
See his recipe when you keep reading.
Happy Shrove Tuesday! Hope you're enjoying a piece of the Carnival celebration with a festive New Orleanian drink, like the whiskey-based 
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