Corpse Reviver #2
A tart, floral classic with a hint of anise that wakes the senses as surely as a cup of strong coffee.
Ingredients
- London Dry gin30 ml
- Absinthe, to rinse the glassrinse the glass
- Cointreau30 ml
- Lillet Blanc30 ml
- Lemon juice, freshly squeezed30 ml
- Orange, to garnish (optional)1 twist
Method
- Swirl absinthe around a chilled coupe so it coats the inside, then pour out the rest.
- Fill a shaker halfway with ice cubes.
- Add the gin, Cointreau, Lillet Blanc and freshly squeezed lemon juice.
- Shake hard for 12–15 seconds, until the shaker is frosty on the outside.
- Fine-strain the drink into the absinthe-rinsed glass.
- Express the oils from a strip of orange peel over the drink and drop the peel in to garnish.
About this drink
The Corpse Reviver #2 first appeared in Harry Craddock's Savoy Cocktail Book of 1930, with the dry warning that four of them taken in swift succession would "unrevive the corpse again". It was meant as a hair of the dog for the morning after, but the sharp balance of gin, orange liqueur, Lillet and lemon makes it right at any hour. The absinthe is there only as an aromatic shadow, never as a flavour up front.
Questions and answers
Why rinse the glass with absinthe rather than pour it in?
A full measure of absinthe would take over completely. A thin coating on the inside of the glass gives just a trace of anise that ties the other flavours together without dominating them.
Can you leave out the absinthe altogether?
You can, but the Corpse Reviver #2 loses its signature note without it. It becomes a pleasant sour rather than the characterful classic it is known as.
What is Lillet Blanc, and what can replace it?
It is a French aperitif wine, lighter and more citrusy than vermouth. Cocchi Americano, an Italian aromatised wine, is the closest substitute, though the drink turns out a touch less floral and a little more bitter.
