Where To Find New Orleans' Powerful 'Hand Grenade' Cocktail

New Orleans has a reputation for its spirits (the kind you drink and the kind that go bump in the night). And one of the former has become a local treasure: The Hand Grenade. It's as potent as it sounds, a sweet mix of white liquors and green-colored melon liqueur.

But, don't just order a Hand Grenade from anywhere. Many bars try to replicate the Hand Grenade, but, for the real deal, head to Bourbon Street in the French Quarter where the Hand Grenade is sold exclusively at the Tropical Isle and Funky Pirate. The bars serve the cocktail in its signature grenade shaped glass. Patrons can also purchase Hand Grenade mix to take home.

The real recipe remains a secret, but some speculate that it contains a mix of multiple liquors, including gin, light rum, and vodka. Most likely melon liqueur gives that signature glowing green hue. Pineapple juice may be that other hidden ingredient helping to blend all those powerful flavors.

The Big Easy is home to many original cocktail recipes. Also on Bourbon Street, Pat O'Briens has been serving up its famous hurricane since the 1940s. Fruity and boozy, the red-colored cocktail comes in a tall specialty cup — called a hurricane glass. It combines light and dark rum with lime juice, orange juice, simple syrup, grenadine, and ice.

But, what's "the official drink of New Orleans?" In 2008, the state of Louisiana chose the sazerac to represent its famed city. And, just like the hurricane and Hand Grenade, the sazerac packs a potent punch. A sazerac cocktail recipe combines rye whiskey, cocktail bitters, and a sugar cube with a lemon peel garnish. According to local legend, Antoine Peychaud invented the drink in the mid-1800s. He created his proprietary blend of Peychaud bitters still used in sazeracs today. The whiskey-forward drink tastes peppery and slightly bitter, balanced by citrus and sweetness.