“For me, the Ojen Cocktail is one of the most perfect drinks,” explains New Orleans bartender Neal Bodenheimer. “It’s so simple and dry.” With the recent return of Ojen, one of New Orleans’ favorite anise-flavored spirits, the city’s bartenders have been quick to revive its namesake cocktail. Here, Bodenheimer offers his interpretation of the NOLA favorite, a simple swizzle of Ojen and Peychaud’s, with an optional measure of orgeat or simple for richer texture. “There are still few drinks that I want to drink more,” he says, “especially during Carnival.”
Ojen Cocktail
Neal Bodenheimer, Cure | New Orleans

Ingredients
Serving: 1
- 2 ounces Legendre Ojen
- 7 dashes Peychaud's bitters (more if adding orgeat or simple)
- 1/2 ounce orgeat or simple (optional, for richer texture)
Directions
- Fill a rocks glass with crushed ice.
- Pour Ojen over the ice and add four dashes of Peychaud's bitters, then swizzle.
- Fill with more crushed ice and top with three more dashes of Peychaud's.
- Swizzle until the glass frosts.