Corpse Reviver
Corpse Reviver No. 2
Ingredients
- Gin 3/4 oz
- Triple sec 3/4 oz
- Lillet Blanc 3/4 oz
- Lemon Juice 3/4 oz
- Absinthe 1 dash
Instructions
Shake, strain, straight up, cocktail glass rinsed with absinthe
Corpse Reviver (No. 2) is a gin cocktail that combines equal parts gin, triple sec, Lillet Blanc, and fresh lemon juice, with a dash of absinthe used to rinse the glass, creating a bracingly citrusy and aromatic drink with herbal complexity. At 20.59% ABV, it is one of the great equal-parts cocktails and is famous for its purported hangover-curing properties. The absinthe rinse adds a whisper of anise and wormwood that ties the other flavors together.
History & Origins
Corpse Reviver No. 2 appears in Harry Craddock's 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book, where it was part of a series of 'Corpse Reviver' cocktails designed as morning-after hangover cures. Craddock famously wrote that four of them taken in swift succession would 'un-revive the corpse again.' The IBA has recognized various versions of this cocktail, and it remains a cornerstone of the modern cocktail revival.
Tasting Notes
Aroma: Bright lemon and gin botanicals lead, with Lillet Blanc's orange-wine sweetness, the orange of triple sec, and a haunting absinthe anise note from the glass rinse. Palate: Crisp and citrus-forward; equal parts of gin, triple sec, Lillet, and lemon create a perfectly balanced sour with herbal depth; the absinthe rinse adds an ethereal anise complexity. Finish: Dry and medium-long, with a lingering citrus-botanical character.
Pro Tip
Rinse the chilled cocktail glass with absinthe by swirling a small amount and discarding it before adding the strained drink — this technique is essential to the recipe's character.
Techniques Used
Embed on your site — CocktailFYI
Add the widget to any webpage using a script tag.
<div data-cocktailfyi="recipe" data-slug="corpse-reviver"></div>
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/cocktailfyi-embed@1/dist/embed.min.js" defer></script>Embed using a standard iframe — works in any CMS.
<iframe src="https://cocktailfyi.com/iframe/recipe/corpse-reviver/" width="100%" height="480" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" title="CocktailFYI recipe widget"></iframe>Paste the URL into WordPress, Medium, or any oEmbed-aware editor.
https://cocktailfyi.com/recipes/corpse-reviver/Add a badge linking back to CocktailFYI.
<a href="https://cocktailfyi.com/recipes/corpse-reviver/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
<img src="https://cocktailfyi.com/badge/site.svg" alt="CocktailFYI" height="20">
</a>
Use the CocktailFYI WordPress plugin shortcode.
[drinkfyi-recipe site="cocktailfyi" slug="corpse-reviver"]Use as a native HTML custom element in modern browsers.
<cocktailfyi-recipe slug="corpse-reviver" theme="light"></cocktailfyi-recipe>
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/cocktailfyi-embed@1/dist/embed.min.js" defer></script>Powered by CocktailFYI
Docs →