The Neat History of Mr. Boston’s Little Red Book
To call Mr. Boston’s Official Bartender’s Guide simply a condensed encyclopedia of cocktails it to misunderstand its singular contribution to cocktail culture.
When Irwin “Red” Benjamin and Hyman C. Berkowitz founded the Old Mr. Boston Distillery, they quickly became renowned for selling high-quality cordials and collectable bottles, but arguably their greatest concoction was what was then called The Old Mr. Boston Deluxe Official Bartender’s Guide.
Published in the early days after the repeal of Prohibition, the tidy red-covered book became the must-have “Cocktail Bible†for bartenders everywhere and the cocktail adventurer in all of us.
The novelty of Mr. Boston’s Official Bartender’s Guide was pooling the expertise of four crusty Boston bartenders for an amalgam of authority on ingredients, spirits, and the proper service of cocktails ensuring each and every recipe was actually bartender-tested, making it an actual “Official†bartender’s guide.
85 years strong, Mr. Boston Official Bartender’s Guide still resides on bars all over the world, offering cocktail recipes, party planning tips, and historical tidbits.
Mr. Boston Official Bartender’s Guide enters the digital age, with more than 10,500 recipes meticulously sourced from 1935 -2012 editions, each representing the evolution of the cocktail and underscoring the legacy of Mr. Boston’s little red book as an indispensable index and preserves the traditions and recipes that forever define cocktail culture.
Understand cocktail creation as inspired by the iconic Mr. Boston Bar Guide with our Cocktail Basics tasting.
Events
E.H. Taylor Bourbon Experience
Experience the craftsmanship and legacy of E.H. Taylor through an exclusive guided tasting featuring five of the distillery's most sought-after expressions. Guests will enjoy pours of E.H. Taylor line showcasing the remarkable range and innovation of the Taylor portfolio. Through each pour and discussion, discover how Taylor's relentless pursuit of excellence shaped the bourbon industry and created innovations whose influence can still be found in distilleries around the world
Smugglers and Spirits
This program explores the people who operated along the edges of the law in Louisiana and the Gulf Coast, including pirates, privateers, smugglers, river bandits, bootleggers, and other notorious figures. Through historical storytelling and beverage interpretation, guests learn how Louisiana's waterways, ports, and frontier conditions created opportunities for both commerce and crime. Cocktail pours are incorporated throughout the program to connect the stories to the spirits that shaped the region's culture and economy.
Science of Spirits
Shake up your cocktail knowledge with a guided tasting featuring premium spirits and handcrafted cocktails, including Sazerac Rye, Jung & Wulff Guyana Rum, a Clarified Whiskey Sour, a Coconut Oil-Washed Rum Old Fashioned, and a Buffalo Trace Paper Plane.
Meet the Distiller: Small Group Tour & Tasting
Step behind the scenes with the artisans who bring Sazerac’s legendary spirits to life. “Meet the Distiller” is an exclusive, hour-long experience that begins with a private VIP tour through the Sazerac House distillery and historic Apothecary. Guests will enjoy insider access, behind-the-barrel stories, and a rare glimpse into the craft and science of our production process. Following the tour, you’ll join our distiller in their private tasting room for a curated guided tasting of four Sazerac expressions — hand-selected and presented by the distiller. This intimate setting allows guests to explore the flavors, techniques, and traditions that define our spirits.
Here’s to classic cocktails and those destined to be.
