Let’s start with an aperitif.
In short, it’s the lightly alcoholic, slightly sweet beginning to a great evening! From the Latin aperire, “to open,†aperitifs ideally work on two levels—to open your palate and, perhaps, your mind. Served over ice and paired with a slice of fruit, both for looks and for a pre-dining nibble, the aperitif is designed to whet our appetites, while imbuing us with a relaxed feeling.
NOTABLE APERITIF COCKTAILS
Pimm’s Cup, French 75, Peychaud’s Spritz, The Americano
Let’s finish it off with a digestif.
If an aperitif helps stimulate your appetite, its counterpart, the digestif, is passed post-dinner to settle the stomach while helping you wind down after an especially big meal. Utilizing herbs, spices, and other plant-compounds, digestifs were once widely used as elixirs to treat almost every ailment imaginable, and soon enough, these concoctions were making the leap from pharmacies to dinner tables.
Digestifs are often sweet or bittersweet. From port wines to dessert liqueurs, digestifs tend to have a good amount of sugar, but you can find some with more herbal and bitter essences if you prefer some less profoundly sweet. In practice, though, digestifs are not as popular here as they are in European countries and cultures where dinner can be a multi-course affair and typically later in the evening. That said, the holidays sound like the perfect occasion to pass a digestif.
NOTABLE DIGESTIF COCKTAILS
Brooklyn, Bijou, Stinger
Let’s make an evening of it.
When it comes to entertaining, there’s nothing complicated about the service of aperitifs and digestifs. Generally, you should be prepared to pass aperitifs when your guests arrive, anywhere from an hour to a half-hour before the meal is served. And, the digestifs should arrive after the dessert or a cheese course.
While it’s steeped in tradition, aperitifs and digestifs are all about making your guests comfortable throughout the evening and striking a tone that’s relaxed for company, conversation, and whatever the occasion may hold.
Events
🎯Good Times and Goodbyes A House Guest Send-Off Featuring our Dive Ba...
As a part of Tales of the Cocktail... After a week of high-proof hospitality, big reveals, and even bigger nights—Friday at the Sazerac House is all about the soft landings and strong pours. Whether you're catching one last connection or just need to return our extra house key, we’re throwing the kind of farewell party that feels less like a goodbye and more like “when are we doing this again?” Welcome to Good Times & Goodbyes, a come-as-you-are celebration of service-industry soul, New Orleans meets Chicago bar culture, and the divey, delicious end-of-the-week energy that makes you want to move in forever. On the 4th floor - in the cozy, sun-drenched Guest Room - Sazerac teams up with Best Intentions to serve ice-cold cocktails and Benny’s Beef to offer heavenly Chicago Beef. You’ve never been this taken care of at a friend’s house. Until next year… [Click to read more]
Buffalo Trace Prohibition Collection Tasting Experience
Step inside one of the Sazerac House’s intimate speakeasies for a rare and immersive tasting experience featuring the Buffalo Trace Prohibition Collection, Series 1. This exclusive collection showcases five expressions recreated to reflect the styles of whiskey legally produced during Prohibition, when Buffalo Trace was one of the few distilleries permitted to operate for medicinal purposes. Guided by our expert bourbon stewards, guests will explore the history of the Prohibition era and its impact on American whiskey culture, all while enjoying a curated tasting of the complete series.
Walking with Whiskey
Join our distillery team for an in-depth journey through the whiskey making process. From grain to bottle, you'll walk through the steps of making Sazerac Rye Whiskey and conclude with a Sazerac Rye Cocktail Demo.
