The recipe
for your table
Rinse a chilled coupe with a bar spoonful of absinthe and discard the remainder.
Shake the gin, Cointreau, Lillet, and lemon juice with plenty of ice for 12 seconds.
Double-strain into the prepared coupe.
Garnish with a cherry or a squeezed orange zest.
The story
'Corpse revivers' were an entire category in the nineteenth century: morning cocktails that brought you back among the living after a long night. Harry Craddock immortalized number 2 in his 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book, including the most famous warning in cocktail literature: "Four of these taken in swift succession will unrevive the corpse again." Of all the revivers, number 2 is the only one that truly endured—and since the cocktail renaissance of the 2000s, it has been more popular than ever.
The right glass
This resuscitation in a glass is served in a classic coupe holding 20 to 33 cl. The absinthe rinse lingers beautifully in the wide bowl, so every sip begins with that mysterious anise aroma. Choose a vintage-style model—after all, this cocktail comes straight from 1930—and chill the glass in the freezer beforehand for the best result. Prefer to serve it in a smaller stemmed glass? Take a look at our Nick & Nora glasses.
Lehmann Paris Champagne Glass / Coupe 20 cl (6 pieces)
RCR Aria Champagne Glass / Coupe 33 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets — €111.90 total, free shipping from €50.
Variations & twists
Kina Lillet no longer exists; Lillet Blanc works perfectly well, but Cocchi Americano comes closer to the original bitterness. Number 1 from the same family—with cognac and calvados—is a very different, heavier drink. You can replace the absinthe rinse with an absinthe atomizer. Looking for more inspiration? Browse all 80 cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Follow Craddock's warning: no more than a couple per evening. The balance between the four equal parts is delicate—measure carefully with a jigger.
The ratio: four equal parts of 2 cl
Four ingredients, four equal measures of 2 cl: gin, Cointreau, Lillet Blanc and fresh lemon juice are precisely balanced here. Precisely because nothing dominates, measuring matters more than with almost any other classic. Half a centiliter too much Cointreau makes it sticky, while half a centiliter too much lemon makes it sharp. So use a jigger and don't pour by eye. If you want a larger drink, multiply all four parts by the same factor; at 2.5 cl per ingredient, you get 10 cl, which a 20 cl coupe can comfortably hold.
Lillet Blanc, Kina Lillet or Cocchi Americano
The original recipe calls for Kina Lillet, which has not existed since 1986. Today's Lillet Blanc is noticeably sweeter and less bitter because its quinine content was significantly reduced. It works perfectly well and is available everywhere, but anyone looking for the original bitterness will get closer with Cocchi Americano, which still contains real cinchona bark. Cocchi is slightly fuller-bodied, so stick to the same 2 cl and taste first. Both bottles are wine aperitifs and therefore have a limited shelf life: refrigerate them after opening and use them within a month or two.
The absinthe rinse without buying a whole bottle of absinthe
The rinse uses less than half a centiliter, so buying a whole bottle feels excessive. A 5 cl miniature is enough for at least twenty cocktails. If you have none at home, pastis or another anise liqueur is a reasonable substitute, although it is sweeter, so rinse extra thoroughly. An absinthe atomizer is the most economical option: two sprays into a chilled coupe provide exactly enough aroma. Whatever you do, don't shake the absinthe into the cocktail, because then the anise dominates the entire drink instead of just the first sip.
Corpse Reviver No. 1 and the rest of the family
There were once around ten of them. Number 1 is the best-known alternative: cognac, calvados, and sweet vermouth, stirred and without citrus, making it much heavier and warmer in character. It is more suited to drinking by a fireplace than at brunch. Number 2 is the only one to have truly survived the cocktail renaissance, probably because the lemon and absinthe keep it surprisingly fresh despite its four alcoholic components. The name referred to morning drinks for curing a hangover, a category that also gave rise to the Bloody Mary.
Frequently asked questions
What is in a Corpse Reviver No. 2?
Four equal 2 cl measures: gin, Cointreau, Lillet Blanc, and fresh lemon juice, shaken and served in a coupe rinsed with a bar spoonful of absinthe. Garnish with a cocktail cherry or a squeezed orange zest. The absinthe clings to the glass and adds the anise aroma.
What is the ratio for a Corpse Reviver No. 2?
Equal parts, or 1:1:1:1. In this recipe, that means four 2 cl measures of gin, Cointreau, Lillet Blanc, and fresh lemon juice. Because no single ingredient dominates, precise measuring matters: use a jigger rather than pouring by feel, or the balance will shift immediately.
Is there also a Corpse Reviver No. 1?
Yes, but that is a very different drink: cognac, calvados, and sweet vermouth, stirred and much heavier in character. In the nineteenth century, corpse revivers were a whole family of morning cocktails; only number 2 has remained truly popular since the cocktail renaissance.
Which glass do you serve a Corpse Reviver No. 2 in?
In a 20 to 33 cl coupe, chilled in the freezer beforehand. The wide bowl holds the absinthe rinse, so every sip begins with that mysterious anise aroma. A vintage-lined model suits a recipe from 1930: see our champagne coupes.
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