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Corpse Reviver 2 | Absinthe Cocktail

December 27, 2019 by Lucy Parissi 4 Comments

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Corpse Reviver 2 in a cocktail glass garnished with lemon peel

The Corpse Reviver 2 is arguably the best-known absinthe drink. This sophisticated classic cocktail will indeed revive you… but beware a few too many have the opposite effect!

You will also love the Pegu Club Cocktail


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Corpse Reviver 2 in a cocktail glass garnished with lemon peel

There’s so much myth and mystique surrounding absinthe that you can’t help but feel curious about trying it. Oscar Wilde famously said:

After the first glass of absinthe you see things as you wish they were. After the second you see them as they are not. Finally you see things as they really are, and that is the most horrible thing in the world.”

Oscar Wilde

What is Absinthe made of?

Absinthe is a spirit (not a liqueur), made by macerating botanicals, including the flowers and leaves of Artemisia absinthium (grand wormwood), green anise, sweet fennel, and other herbs in alcohol. This is then distilled to create absinthe in a similar way that gin is distilled.

Authentic absinthe can be clear or have a (faint) natural green colour which is probably why it was dubbed “La Fée Verte“, The Green Fairy. Some (less than great) absinthes include green (or blue) colouring, essentially these are coloured vodka, not real absinthe.

Absinthe causes hallucinations?

Is absinthe really a hallucinogenic? Despite its reputation, absinthe doesn’t cause hallucinations but it DOES have a very high alcohol content… It ranges between 55 – 75% alcohol by volume (ABV) making it 110 -144 proof.

This might be why most absinthe drinks contain only a tiny amount of absinthe. In some cases the absinthe is simply swirled around the cocktail glass before being poured out or sprayed as a mist leaving the merest hint of the Green Fairy… I tend to measure the absinthe in Corpse Reviver using a syringe because it is such a small amount!

Why was absinthe banned?

Absinthe was banned in the 1900s in France, Switzerland and the United States because it was a) wildly popular b) associated with loose morals and wild behaviour. 

But apart from that the reason it was banned is that it contains small levels of thujone which is indeed toxic (the chemical is derived from plants including Wormwood which is used in Absinthe). 

The levels of thujone in Absinthe are well below the limits of toxicity and real absinthe is legal to buy in Europe and the United States once more.

Corpse Reviver Drinks

There’s a variety of ‘corpse reviver’ drinks, used as hangover cures a.k.a Hair of the Dog. The wisdom of having a cocktail when you are hungover escapes me… 

The most famous are Corpse Reviver No 1 and Corpse Reviver No 2… which always make me smile because CLEARLY No1 didn’t do the job if they had to invent No 2 🙂

straining an absinthe cocktail into a coupe glass

Corpse Reviver 2

Joking aside this has got to be one of my all-time favourite cocktails, and definitely my most favourite absinthe drink. I first tasted it last New Year’s Eve and so I now associate this cocktail with ringing in the New Year…

This is one of Harry Craddock’s – head bartender of the American Bar at London’s Savoy Hotel in the’20 and ‘30s – most famous creations.

The Corpse Reviver #2 is both delicate and powerful, well balanced and addictive. Craddock waned ‘four of these will swiftly unrevive the corpse again’ so you have been warned!

Ingredients

Here’s what you will need… Since one of these drinks contains only 2.5ml of Absinthe you can get away with purchasing a miniature bottle of Absinthe to see if you like it.

Ingredients in Corpse Reviver 2 Grant Marnier, Absinthe, Vermouth, gin and lemon
  • Gin I used Plymouth
  • Orange Liqueur such as Cointreau, Grand Marnier or Triple Sec
  • Sweet white vermouth – usually Lillet Blanc
  • Fresh lemon juice
  • Absinthe such as La Fee Parisienne 
  • Lemon zest twist to garnish

You will also need

  • Cocktail shaker
  • Jigger
  • Mexican elbow 
  • Strainer
  • Martini or coupe glasses

HOW TO MAKE A CORPSE REVIVER

STEP 1. Fill your cocktail shaker with plenty of ice. Place a martini (or coupe) cocktail glass in the freezer to chill.

Adding ice to cocktail shaker

STEP 2. Measure your gin, orange liqueur, Lillet and lemon juice using a jigger and add to the shaker. I use a syringe to measure the Absinthe or you can use measuring spoons.

Adding gin to cocktail shaker

STEP 3. Share hard for 30 seconds or so.

man shaking cocktail shaker
B

STEP 4. Strain into the cold cocktail glass .

Straining Corpse Reviver No 2 into a chilled cocktail glass

STEP 5. Garnish your absinthe drink with a twist of lemon zest. Enjoy (sensibly)!

The Corpse Reviver 2 made with gin, Lillet, orange liqueur and absinthe in a cocktail glass

DID YOU MAKE MY CORPSE REVIVER COCKTAIL? Post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #supergoldenbakes. I can’t wait to see your take on it!

You might also enjoy these cocktails

  • Ritz Old Fashioned Cocktail
  • Gin n’ Jam cocktail
  • Classic Green Bean Casserole
  • Round Lemon Drizzle Cake
  • Gingerbread House Recipe & Tips

Corpse Reviver No 2 (Absinthe Drink)

Lucy Parissi | Supergolden Bakes
The Corpse Reviver 2 is arguably the best-known absinthe cocktail. This sophisticated classic cocktail will indeed revive you… but beware a few too many have the opposite effect!
3.50 from 6 votes
Print Rate
Course: Cocktail
Cuisine: British
Keyword: Absinthe Cocktail, Absinthe Drink, Corpse Reviver 2, Corpse Reviver No 2 Drink
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1
Calories: 140kcal
Prevent your screen from going dark

Equipment & Tools

Cocktail Shaker
martini glass

Ingredients

  • 20 ml | 1 oz gin
  • 20 ml | 1 oz Cointreau or Grand Marnier
  • 20 ml | 1 oz Lillet Blanc
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice or to taste
  • ½ tsp Absinthe such as La Fee Parisienne
  • lemon zest twist to garnish

Instructions

  • Fill your cocktail shaker with plenty of ice. Place a martini (or coupe) cocktail glass in the freezer to chill.
  • Add all the ingredients to the shaker.
  • Shake hard for 30 seconds.
  • Strain into the chilled cocktail glass.
  • Garnish with the lemon zest and enjoy (sensibly)!

Video

Notes

– Orange Liqueur such as Cointreau, Grand Marnier or Triple Sec
– Sweet white vermouth – usually Lillet Blanc
– Fresh lemon juice
– Absinthe such as La Fee Parisienne 
– Lemon zest twist to garnish

You will also need

  • Cocktail shaker
  • Jigger
  • Mexican elbow 
  • Strainer
  • Martini or coupe glasses

Nutritional Info

Calories: 140kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2mg | Sugar: 8g
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Comments

  1. Thomas says

    January 27, 2023 at 3:11 am

    1 star
    I need a recipe not a book, so much here I have no clue how to make this drink. tried skipping to the bottom. not here either. if you’re gonna put the entire history of the world in it at least be nice enough to put the recipe at the top. No one should have to take a college course to make a single cocktail.

    Reply
    • Lucy Parissi says

      January 27, 2023 at 10:27 am

      Hi Thomas – there’s a jump to recipe button at the very top of the post. If you click on that you can skip the history and just read the recipe which is very clearly laid out

      Reply
  2. Martin says

    September 06, 2022 at 3:14 am

    1 star
    The ingredients list is missing the lemon juice. There should be an equal measure. The recipe as written just falls flat.

    Reply
    • Lucy Parissi says

      September 06, 2022 at 7:13 am

      You are right I have amended

      Reply

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Picture of Lucy ParissiHi, I am Lucy Parissi, the recipe developer, food  photographer and author behind Supergolden Bakes. If you are looking for easy sweet and savoury recipes that are packed with flavour you have come to the right place!  READ MORE

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