WHISKEY CRUSTA

Whiskey Crusta Recipe | Classic 1850s New Orleans Cocktail

The Whiskey Crusta traces back to 1850s New Orleans, where Joseph Santini at the City Exchange Bar created the original brandy version. The whiskey variation came later as American bartenders experimented with different base spirits.

What makes the Crusta significant is that it basically invented the sugar-rimmed glass. Before Santini's creation, nobody was running citrus around glass rims and dipping them in sugar. The drink also features a long spiral of lemon peel that lines the inside of the glass, creating a dramatic presentation that was revolutionary for its time.

The Crusta belongs to the sour family but differs from a basic whiskey sour through its use of maraschino liqueur and orange curaçao. These additions give it more complexity and a slightly sweeter profile. The sugar rim balances the citrus tartness while the maraschino adds a subtle cherry-almond note that complements the whiskey.

RECIPE:

2 oz bourbon

• ½ oz orange curaçao (dry preferred)

• ¼ oz maraschino liqueur

• ¾ oz fresh lemon juice

• 1 dash Angostura bitters (optional but historically common)

• Superfine sugar, for the rim

• Lemon peel, cut in a long spiral (essential)

Method:

1. Prepare the glass

2. Use a small wine glass, coupe, or Nick & Nora

3. Moisten the rim lightly with lemon

4. Dip into superfine sugar to create a full sugar crust

5. Line the inside of the glass with a long, continuous spiral of lemon peel

6. The peel should hang inside the glass, not sit on the rim

7. Mix the drink

8. Add bourbon, curaçao, maraschino, lemon juice, and bitters to a shaker

9. Fill with ice and shake briskly until well chilled

10. Serve

11. Double-strain into the prepared glass

12. No additional garnish beyond the lemon peel inside the glass