The Corpse Reviver #2 bursts onto the scene in 1930 with The Savoy Cocktail Book. The naming convention here implies that there is a Corpse Reviver #1. While this is true, it based practically no connection to the delicious 4 part cocktail mentioned below. In fact, it’s a hangover remedy (and one that sounds fairly awful at that). Instead, this beautiful drink uses a similar formula to a Last Word or split base Sidecar, and is refreshing enough to revive most individuals. Assuming you don’t enjoy too many!
Corpse Reviver #2
The Corpse Reviver #2 is a beautiful, aromatic, herbal, and bright cocktail that’s wonderfully rounded. I’m careful not to say balanced, as this cocktail is decidedly dry despite the amount of sweetness from both the Cointreau and the Lillet. The wonderful bitter undertones bounce perfectly off the bright lemon and sweet liqueurs. The citrus and herbal notes run across the flavor spectrum, and make each sip enjoyable and complex. The result is dry, yet rich in texture.
Drink Notes & Recommendations
There are two main sources of difference in the Corpse Reviver #2, the ingredient chosen for the Kina Lillet substitution and the approach to the absinthe. The absinthe is the easier of the two, so we’ll start there. The original methodology here is going to be to rinse the chilled coupe with absinthe. This is going to work better for aromatic purposes. If you’re lazy, add the absinthe directly to the ingredients you shake.
The second source of variation, the Kina Lillet is the more discussed issue. Lillet Blanc is the commonly accepted ingredient here, though it will lack the bittering quinine of the original Kina Lillet. To keep that bitter undertone, I would recommend instead looking at Cocchi Americano, which has a similar flavor profile, but include more of the bittering quinine. The resulting drink is slightly less ethereal, but seems like it would be potentially truer to the original.
- London Dry Gin – Gin is the backbone here, and it provides herbal notes and structure. London Dry is therefore our recommendation (Beefeater, Tanqueray, Bombay Sapphire), but thanks to the complexity of the partnering ingredients, you can move this drink toward spice or citrus with modern gins (Aviation / Bluecoat) or even add malty sweetness with Old Tom Gin.
- Cointreau – while you could use another orange liqueur, Cointreau is the gold standard here (which is why we call it out by name). Consider another brand of curacao or triple sec if you can’t find triple sec.
- Lillet Blanc – Either Lillet Blanc or Aperitivo Cocchi Americano for this one. Our recommendation is Aperitivo Cocchi Americano to add the original bitterness and texture.
- Lemon Juice – For best results, use fresh squeezed.
- Absinthe –We used St. George Absinthe Verte, but absinthe can be limited by location. If you can’t find an absinthe, consider a pastis, like Pernod.
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