Corpse Reviver No. 2 (Contemporary recipe)
Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 19% ABV ∙
The Corpse Reviver No. 2 is a shaken sour of equal parts gin, herbal liqueur, aromatized wine and lemon juice, with a dash of absinthe.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: London dry gin 20 mlHerbal liqueur (e.g., Yellow Chartreuse) 20 mlAromatized wine 20 mlLemon juice 20 mlAbsinthe 1 dash
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Express a lemon twist over the cocktail and use as garnish
Tips
- Shake hard with fresh cubes for a full 12-15 seconds; the meltwater takes the sharp edge off the lemon.
- Keep the gin, herbal liqueur, aromatized wine and lemon at 20 ml each, a true 1:1:1:1; the drink lives on equal parts, so don't pour the gin heavier.
History
The Corpse Reviver No. 2 (Contemporary recipe) is a modern take on Harry Craddock's 1930 Corpse Reviver No. 2. Kina Lillet, the quinine-based aperitif wine in Craddock's recipe, was discontinued in 1986 and reformulated without quinine as Lillet Blanc, so modern recipes use Lillet Blanc or, in some bars, Cocchi Americano. It also uses an herbal liqueur such as yellow Chartreuse where Craddock specified Cointreau.
Craddock, head bartender of the American Bar at London's Savoy Hotel, codified the Corpse Reviver No. 2 in his 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book, alongside a separate brandy-based Corpse Reviver No. 1. His No. 2 combined gin, lemon juice, Cointreau, Kina Lillet, and a dash of absinthe.
The family takes its name from a slang term for hangover cures, drinks meant to bring the drinker back to life. "Corpse reviver" appeared in Punch magazine as early as 1861, and an early recipe was documented by 1871 in The Gentleman's Table Guide.
