Widows Kiss
Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 34.8% ABV ∙
The Widow's Kiss is a stirred cocktail of Calvados, Bénédictine and an herbal liqueur such as Yellow Chartreuse, finished with aromatic bitters. Baked apple and honeyed spice open the sip, with the herbal liqueur adding a resinous, slightly medicinal edge before a warm, lingering finish.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Stir all ingredients with ice: Calvados 45 mlBénédictine D.O.M. liqueur 15 mlHerbal liqueur (e.g., Yellow Chartreuse) 15 mlAngostura aromatic bitters 2 dashes
- Strain into the chilled glass
- Garnish with maraschino cherries on a skewer
Tips
- Stir over ice until the glass frosts, about 30 seconds — the two liqueurs need real dilution to keep the drink from tasting syrupy.
- Pre-chill the coupe before straining; this stirred drink has no ice in the glass to keep it cold once poured.
- Measure the Bénédictine and Chartreuse carefully — both are potent and can quickly overpower the Calvados if over-poured.
History
The Widow's Kiss was first published in 1895 in George J. Kappeler's book Modern American Drinks, a mix of apple brandy, yellow Chartreuse, and Bénédictine finished with Angostura bitters. Kappeler is generally credited as its creator, though the book offers no explanation for the evocative name, and the identity (or existence) of any actual widow behind it remains unknown.
The name proved so appealing that several other pre-Prohibition bartenders reused it for entirely different drinks: Harry Johnson's version combined Bénédictine, green Chartreuse, maraschino, and egg, William Schmidt's added Parfait Amour and egg white, and Jack Grohusko's Widow's Kiss was a rye whiskey drink with sugar, egg yolk, and seltzer. A New Orleans newspaper even described a simple Bénédictine-and-cream version in 1903. Kappeler's original apple brandy formula is the one that endured and was carried into later cocktail literature, eventually falling into obscurity after Prohibition before being revived by modern bartenders returning to pre-Prohibition classics.
FAQ
What is a Widow's Kiss drink?
The Widow's Kiss is a stirred cocktail built on Calvados apple brandy, sweetened and spiced with Bénédictine and an herbal liqueur such as Yellow Chartreuse, with a dash of aromatic bitters. It is strained up into a chilled coupe and garnished with a maraschino cherry, and it drinks strong and dense at close to 35% ABV.
How to make a Sicilian Kiss?
A Sicilian Kiss is a different, much simpler drink made of just amaretto and Southern Comfort, usually served on the rocks. It shares only its name's shape with the Widow's Kiss, which is built on Calvados, Bénédictine, and an herbal liqueur.
