007 – Covid Reviver

A Sydney ‘lock-down’ version of the famous Corpse Reviver cocktail.

Sydney’s Covid Lockdown has inspired me to explore this simple cocktail and take it back to its roots. Here is the resulting ‘Covid Reviver’ recipe and some cocktail background.

Make your own ‘Locktail’ Covid Reviver. Here is the recipe:

METHOD — Mix in a wine glass over ice, 30ml Cognac, 30ml Maraschino Liqueur, and 2-to-4 dashes of Boker’s Bitters (either a modern remake, or use 2-dashes of Agnostura Orange Bitters and 2-dashes of Aztec Chocolate Bitters or similar). This cocktail is all about the ‘bitters‘. Garnish with a piece of Orange Rind and some Orange zest oil (if you don’t have Orange Bitters).

HISTORICAL NOTES – The ‘Corpse Reviver Number 2’ is an inclusion in the International Bartender Association (IBA) ‘Contemporary Classics’ list that includes 31-cocktails. The original and other ‘Corpse Reviver’ variants have not made the list, and as a result the modern ‘Corpse Reviver’ has changed from a more commonly ‘Brandy-based’ Cocktail to a ‘Gin-based’ one. An historical loss in my humble opinion.

There are a large number (at least eight) ‘Corpse Reviver’ variants and they are very different to each other. It takes some digging to get to the root of these significant recipe schisms.

The first known surviving mention of a ‘Corpse Reviver’ Cocktail, is in the English Punch Magazine of 21 December 1861. In a satirical paragraph, describing the ‘United States Hangman’ dancing and singing about a fictional victim ‘Yancey’, “after liquoring up a Sling, a Stone Wall, and a Corpse Reviver”. Seemingly using the names of three drinks that would be well known to the Punch audience of the day.

The first surviving recipe however is 10-years later. On page 45 of The Gentleman’s Table Guide of 1871 by E. Ricket and C. Thomas, we have the ‘Corpse Reviver’. The recipe being – “Use a wineglass. Half wineglass of brandy, half glass of Maraschino, and two dashes of Boker’s bitters.” Thanks to Difford’s Guide and Simon Difford for so much research on the Corpse Reviver, article here.

In the famous and respected 1930’s, The Savoy Cocktail Book, some 59-years later, Harry Craddock gives us two different versions. The Corpse Reviver No.1. (Italian Vermouth, Apple Brandy or Calvados, and Brandy), and the Corpse Reviver No.2 (Lemon Juice, Lillet, Cointreau, Dry Gin and a dash of Absinthe). These have remained largely unchanged with the progressive addition of more variations, starting with No.3 in Patrick Duffy’s 1956 Official Mixer’s Manual. It would appear that either multiple variations existed for some considerable time, or that a big shift happened in between 1871 and 1930. Not surprising, given that period included a shift across the Atlantic from the UK to the USA, Prohibition (1920-1933), and changing tastes in mixed drinks.

The quotes from the 1930’s Savoy Cocktail Book are certainly worth preserving. In respect of the Corpse Reviver No.1, “to be taken before 11am, or whenever steam and energy are needed”, clearly a hangover cure recommendation. In respect of the Corpse Reviver No.2, “four of these taken in swift succession will unrevive the corpse again”, a health warning of sorts.

THE OFFICIAL MIX – The IBA ‘Corpse Reviver No. 2’ version is here. It is 30ml Gin, 30ml Cointreau, 30ml Lillet Blanc, 30ml fresh Lemon Juice and a dash of Absinthe. Garnished with orange zest. An enjoyable Gin cocktail, but very different to 1871 Brandy-based cocktail that I am remaking here.

TASTING NOTES – Most people won’t have come across the 1871 version of a Corpse Reviver, it has been largely been lost to the passage of time. If you’ve had a Corpse Reviver before, most likely it was a variation of the 1930’s Corpse Reviver No.2, a pleasant Gin-based cocktail with some wine, herb, lemon, orange and aniseed notes from the Vermouth (Lillet), Lemon Juice, Cointreau and Absinthe respectively. I hadn’t come across the Brandy, Maraschino and Boker’s variant until researching and playing with these cocktails for this ‘Locktail’ variant.

For this ‘Covid Reviver’ (1871 remake), the flavour depends on the quality of the spirit. To make this a 4-star Cocktail (or potentially even better), it needs a truly great Cognac, smooth Maraschino (use the Luxado) and a good helping of complimentary Bitters. Orange goes great with the Maraschino, and Chocolate is a great match for good Cognac. The end result is smooth and warming Cognac with cherry, chocolate and orange in balanced harmony. Something to help shake off the ‘Covid Lockdown’ malaise and revive your tired corpse to life in the new-normal, whatever that is!

LOCKTAIL CHANGES – I have made this seventh Sydney Covid Lockdown Cocktail – Locktail – a homage to the late 1800s and early 1900s, and a celebration of simpler cocktails. After playing with the 1930’s variants with little success, I went as far back as we can, to the earliest recorded recipe for a ‘Corpse Reviver’, before they had numbers after the name.

I have stayed as true to this 1871 classic as I can 150-years latter. Hennessy Cognac (c1765) would have been available in 1871, as would Luxardo Maraschino (c1821), and they form the 50-50 base of this wine-glass cocktail. Unfortunately the very popular and readily available in 1871 Boker’s Bitters (sometimes mistakenly but now historically mis-named ‘Bogart’s Bitters’) did not survive the US Prohibition era (1920 to 1933). Some have tried to ‘remake’ this classic Bitters. The best, researching and tasting original samples to create what is said to be a faithful reformulation, is Dr Adam Elmegirab’s Boker’s Bitters, more information here. I plan on giving their Bitters a try in some classic cocktail remakes.

However as authentic as I am trying to be, I am also aware that my palate, and probably yours, is clearly anchored in 2021. So a block of ice, now our cheapest ingredient, whereas in 1871 it may have been the most expensive to procure, depending on location (pre-refrigeration), is included. The orange and chocolate notes were said to exist in Boker’s Bitters, but I have ‘turned the dial up’ a little on these making sure there is enough chocolate to match the Cognac and enough orange for the Maraschino. Two-dashes each of Angostura Orange (must be Orange not regular Angostura unless you add Orange oil) and two-dashes of Aztec Chocolate Bitters (or similar). You can go to four-dashes of each if you want to go hard on the chocolate-orange.

For me, this is the best 1800’s remake of the seven cocktails I have revisited in Covid home lock-down so far. 4-stars. This is both expensive (good Cognac – around $5 per shot and good Maraschino – around $3 per shot), and slightly challenging to procure the appropriate Bitters. See the websites on the base of my ‘Bitters‘ page for some sourcing ideas. However this is well worth the effort, especially if you want to add a truly great ‘Brandy-based’ cocktail to your personal cocktail list.

YOUR LOCKTAIL EXPERIENCE – If you’d rather taste than read, I am progressively building an ingredient list and other sourcing information on this site. I will re-use ingredients where I can (good for my budget too), so that the cost goes down overtime if you are ‘playing at home’.

Let me know what you think.

Cocktails you’d like reinvented.

Recipes you’ve tried and your ‘score’.

Coming up soon, more cocktails from the 1800s – the forward list is here. Or take a look at the previous ones, the Dry Martini, the Old Fashioned, the Manhattan, the Jimmy McCollins, the Americano and the Sazerac.