Corpse Reviver – A Beautiful Mess

The Corpse Reviver No. 2 is a pre-Prohibition cocktail recipe created to be so strong that it could revive your hungover corpse. Originally, it was served as a morning drink. This cocktail is both equal parts sweet and strong with a hint of bitterness. Can it really cure hangovers? We’ll let you be the judge of that.

More Classic Cocktails: Old Fashioned, Manhattan, Negroni, Aviation, The Last Word, Sidecar.

Ingredients in a Corpse Reviver

• Absinthe – This drink starts off with a rinse of absinthe in the glass. 
• Gin – Specifically London Dry Gin. 
• Lillet Blanc – A French aperitif made with fortified wine. The original recipe was made with Kina Lillet. Lillet Blanc is actually a new formulation of the original Kina Lillet with less alcohol, less sugar, and less bitter quinine.
• Orange Liqueur – Such as triple sec or cointreau. 
• Lemon Juice – Freshly squeezed citrus balances this recipe.

The best glassware to serve a Corpse Reviver in is a Nick and Nora cocktail glass or a coupe glass. We recommend chilling your glasses before making this recipe.

How to Make

Rinse the inside of a chilled cocktail glass with absinthe. Swirl it around the inside of the glass until the surface is lightly coated. Discard the excess absinthe. 

In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine gin, Lillet Blanc, orange liqueur and lemon juice. Shake for 10-15 seconds until well chilled. 

Strain and pour into your prepared cocktail glass. 

Garnish with a lemon twist or a luxardo cherry.

History

This recipe can be traced back to the 1870s. This recipe is Corpse Reviver No. 2. It’s the best known version to this day. Corpse Reviver No. 1 was made with cognac, Calvados and sweet vermouth.

The Corpse Reviver No. 2 lost some popularity but was revived (see what I did there?). In Harry Craddock’s 1930 book, “The Savoy Cocktail Book.” This book reintroduced dozens of classic drinks to cocktail enthusiasts of the 1930s.

When you order a Corpse Reviver, remember that it is stronger than it tastes. Harry Craddock famously said, “Four of these taken in swift succession will un-revive the corpse again.” Always drink responsibly.

What is Absinthe?

I always feel like a badass pulling out my bottle of absinthe. It’s been immortalized in famous paintings by Picasso and Degas as well as one of my favorite films of all time: Moulin Rouge (2001). Absinthe was illegal in the United States for almost 100 years. It had a reputation as a hallucinogenic substance (this is pure myth and scientifically disproven).

Absinthe tastes like anise and fennel (or licorice). It is a little more rare in cocktail recipes, so if you buy a bottle be sure to make a Sazerac as well.

Tips for Making

• Substitutions – You can use Cocchi Americano Blanco or dry vermouth instead of Lillet Blanc if you like. Many bartenders have strong loyalties to one or the other—the only way to know for sure is a comparative test to see what you prefer. 
• Chilled Glass – For such a simple recipe a chilled coupe glass makes a big impact and elevates the whole recipe. 
• Play With Flavors – Stir in a bit of rosemary simple syrup or lavender simple syrup to create a unique flavored take on this classic drink.

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