Count Louis Philippe Joseph de Roffignac escaped the guillotine and fled his native France for the swampy shores of the Ponchartrain. There he fought alongside Andrew Jackson against the British in the Battle for New Orleans, and by the 1820’s had became the city’s Mayor. Amongst many things, he was credited for bringing cobblestone and city lighting to the streets of the French Quarter. And like any good Frenchman, Joseph drank his share of Cognac, which he was known to mix with seltzer, ice and rich raspberry syrup in a tall glass.
Little did he know this early highball-of-sorts would forevermore bear his name—sitting alongside other classic New Orleans cocktails such as the Sazerac, the Ramos Fizz and the Vieux Carré. As with (what many consider to be) the first cocktail, the Sazerac, imbibers began to swap the relatively scarce Cognac for the more readily available and popular rye whiskey. And while a rye Sazerac is a match made in heaven, we find Cognac or Brandy still makes for the best Roffignac,.
Sip one of these as you prep your liver for Tales of the Cocktail this July.
ROFFIGNAC COCKTAIL
2 ounces Cognac, Brandy or good rye whiskey
1 ounce raspberry syrup
Soda water or seltzer
Fill a highball glass with ice. Add the first two ingredients and then top off with soda or seltzer. Swizzle and serve. (Various raspberry syrups can be found in specialty stores, or make your own: muddle fresh raspberries with simple syrup, double-straining out the seeds.)
CIN-CIN!
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