Corpse Reviver No 2 Cocktail Recipe

TELL US ABOUT THE CORPSE REVIVER NO 2 RECIPE

Corpse Revivers can be traced back to the 1860s, and a time where the best hangover cure was seen to be imbibing yet more strong liquor.

In an 1861 issue of Punch Magazine refers to the drink, and the 1871 Gentleman’s Table Guide describes a mix of brandy, Maraschino, mixed with two dashes of Boker’s bitters.

Quite a difference from the gin inspired cocktail we know today, right?

Invented by bar legend Harry Craddock at the Savoy bar in the 1920s, the Corpse Reviver No 2 recipe swaps out the Cognac and Calvados apple brandy from it’s lesser known cousin Corpse Reviver No 1, replacing them with gin and lemon.

Oh, and a dash of absinthe. Much more civilised, we say.

Out of the many “reviver” cures, the Corpse Reviver No 2 recipe is thought to be the most popular, possibly due to the classic combination of gin and lemon flavours.

The drink fell out of favour in the era of cocktail history after Prohibition ended.

Yet in the early 2000s, as bartenders looked to the past for inspiration, the drink was rediscovered and now can be found in the best hotel bars around the world.

CORPSE REVIVER NO 2 COCKTAIL RECIPE INGREDIENTS

25ml Gin
25ml Lillet Vermouth
25ml Cointreau Liqueur
5ml Absinthe
25ml Lemon Juice

HOW TO MAKE THE CORPSE REVIVER NO 2  COCKTAIL RECIPE

Add the gin, vermouth, absinthe, and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker with ice.

Shake well for 30 seconds until ice cold.

Fine strain using both a Hawthorn and Fine Strainer into a chilled martini or coupe glass.

GARNISH

Lemon Peel Twirl or Star Anise

EXPERT TIP

It’s worth noting that Craddock famously noted that “four of these taken in swift succession will un-revive the corpse again”.

Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

WHAT TO DRINK NEXT

If you’re fans of gin and citrus but find the absinthe a touch too much, opt for a Gin Basil Smash or a Gimlet.

Or if the green fairy is your thing, check out the amazing absinthe cocktail, the Death in the Afternoon, or the classic Sazerac.

Though the gin and lemon flavours means the Corpse Reviver No 2 recipe an easy summer cocktail recipe, the name and the wicked absinthe kick makes it a great Halloween cocktail.