Without the Corpse Reviver, I might never have gotten into cocktails. In 2006 my wife took me to a 20s-themed bar in Manhattan’s Flatiron District that she’d heard about — Julie Reiner’s Flatiron Lounge. We perused the menu and when I saw the words “Corpse Reviver” I was sold. Had to try it. When the drink came, it was such an amazing step up from the vodka-sodas and Jack-n-Cokes I was used to, I couldn’t believe it. It was revolutionary, and I started visiting other cocktail bars and ordering other classic drinks.
Shortly thereafter, seeing my fascination with the subject, my wife bought me a cocktailing book and a few basic implements. The rest, as they say, is history. She created a monster!
I still make Corpse Revivers from time to time, but I modify them somewhat. The most common recipe calls for equal parts of everything. I find that too sweet and too tart, so I cut the lemon juice a little and double the gin. It works for me!
Don’t skip the Pernod rinse! It changes the drink substantially and for the better. A bottle of Pernod is cheap, makes a fine absinthe substitute in most cocktails, and it will last you halfway to forever since it’s rarely called for in more than quarter-ounce amounts.
This article is a modified and enhanced version of a post that ran on my nightly cocktail blog, DrinkShouts.
The Corpse Reviver No. 2 Cocktail Recipe
Equipment
- Cocktail shaker
- Cocktail Strainer
- Bar spoon
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz. Gin New Amsterdam
- .75 oz. Lillet Blanc
- .75 oz. Curacao Pierre Ferrand
- .5 oz. Fresh lemon juice
- Dash orange bitters Regans’
- Dash Pernod
- Lemon twist Garnish
Instructions
- Pour the Pernod into a chilled cocktail glass and swirl to coat, discarding the excess. Combine the other ingredients in a cocktail shaker over ice and shake thoroughly. Strain into the cocktail glass and garnish with a lemon twist.
