Randy Woodward

Vieux Carre Cocktail Randy Woodward

The Vieux Carre /voo car-ray/ cocktail is described as complex and flavorful and is also made with Benedictine, a French liqueur, and cognac, a French brandy, which are the other French attributes of the drink. It originated in New Orleans and was named after the city's French quarter, hence the name. The cocktail came into existence in one of the grandest and oldest hotels in New Orleans called Hotel Monteleone, named after Antonio Monteleone, the operator and owner. However, they did not create the iconic drink. The cocktail was created by Walter Bergeron in the 1930s. Bergeron was then the head bartender of the Carousel Bar, an iconic bar in Hotel Monteleone, known for its moving seats, much like the carousel. It was said that Bergeron made this drink to honor the ethnic group in the French Quarter at that time which is evident because much like the Big Easy itself, this drink is full of diverse and interesting ingredients.