Peychaud's Bitters

A workhorse bitters. Doesn't get as much use as angostura in my kitchen, but finds its way into cocktails every now and then.

Rating: 17/23 I've finally obtained a bottle of Peychaud's. I'm curious to find out how it differs from Angostura bitters. I've been very happy with Angostura, but there are some cocktails that call for this, so I figured I really needed to have some Peychaud's. Huh, this is a lot less full than Angostura is. It's still herbal, though it does have a different profile (richer and less minty). Perhaps the difference in ABV is responsible? Angostura is about 25% higher in alcohol after all. OK, this works nicely in a cocktail made with a more subtle spirit like Compass Box Artist's Blend. I can see why I might choose this over Angostura. That said, Angostura still works. I guess this rarely leaves a cocktail watered down and tends to add a new dimension though. Well, a little bit of a new dimension to mild cocktails at least. It needs just that tight level of fullish spirit needing a bit more bitter herbal nuance to work. There's some good use for this, but it's not as generally applicable as Angostura and I'm not finding any cocktails with this that blow my mind. OK, this works great with Compass Box Artist's Blend and Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth. But how much is the Carpano? Still, the complete balance is better with this than with Angostura. I don't know. This is really hard to rate. I would definitely default to Angostura over this, but I see a valid purpose here. I certainly wouldn't use these in a tiki drink, but in a high proof cocktail made with a delicate spirit, I see their purpose. Whereas Angostura is so great because it can cut through anything and add a couple new dimensions, this has a more delicate profile that demands you make room for it. Lower proof (40-45% ABV) spirits mixed with small amounts of other things (e.g. vermouth) are what I expect to work best with this. It's an easy choice to add a little bit of something extra to a boring rye or bourbon to hopefully take it into the sippable range. I think that this is generally better than Peychaud's Barrel-Aged (16/23), but it isn't on the same level as Angostura (19/23) because it's much more situational and generally not as good in cocktails, which makes me wonder what the point is. I'll go with 17, but I'll need to do another tasting of this at some point in the future.

Appearance: A disturbingly artificial red colour – reminiscent of red cough mixture. Aroma: Fennel leaves, anise, cumin, coriander, caraway seed and hints of cherry and orange. Flavour & Texture: Bittersweet, with fennel, anise, mint, seed spices and citrus zest being the main flavours. First off, if you have tried several brands of bitters and found most to be similar to Angostura then prepare yourself for a surprise because Paychaud’s is not at all the same. The aroma and flavour are softer, more gently fragrant and focused on fennel and anise. It has a striking resemblance to absinthe in both aroma and taste so it is no wonder that it is a critical ingredient for the Sazarac. You simply can’t substitute anything else. A fabulous cocktail ingredient that has an affinity for cola, ginger ale, brandy and whisk(e)y of all types. No bar is complete without it. Rating this is pretty pointless – it’s like trying to rate salt. “Unique” : 94/100 (5 stars)

Must have for ANY New Orleans cocktails. Sazeracs and Viexe Carre cannot be properly made without them. Spice fennel and anise notes permeate throughout

Medicinal and not too bitter. Thin bodied. I prefer Angostura bitters, but these are useful to have for cocktails that specifically call for them.