Corpse Reviver No. 1
The Corpse Reviver No. 1: The 1930 Hangover Cure Before 11 A.M.
The first widely popularized Corpse Reviver cocktail is listed in The Savoy Cocktail Book and is a cognac-based cocktail that calls for two parts cognac, one part Calvados or apple brandy, and one part Italian vermouth Wikipedia. In bartender Craddock's notes he says "To be taken before 11AM, or whenever steam or energy is needed" Wikipedia.
While earlier Corpse Reviver recipes existed, Craddock's 1930 version became the standard. The first known Corpse Reviver recipe appears in the 1871 "The Gentleman's Table Guide," which calls for equal parts brandy and maraschino with two dashes Boker's bitters Difford's Guide. A December 1861 edition of the magazine Punch is the first place Internet scholars have found the words "corpse reviver" used to describe a drink's back-to-life qualities Adventure.com.
The Corpse Reviver No. 1 is less well-known than its gin-based sibling, the Corpse Reviver No. 2, which also appeared in Craddock's book. The No. 1 is a spirit-forward cocktail, essentially a brandy Manhattan variation with apple brandy adding fruity depth. The drink belongs to the category of "pick-me-up" cocktails prescribed by bartenders as morning-after remedies.
The cocktail is stirred rather than shaken and served in a cocktail glass. While Craddock's recipe doesn't call for garnish, some modern versions add a lemon or orange twist for additional aroma.
RECIPE:
1½ oz cognac or brandy
¾ oz apple brandy or Calvados
¾ oz sweet vermouth
Lemon twist for garnish (optional)
Method:
1½ oz cognac or brandy
¾ oz apple brandy or Calvados
¾ oz sweet vermouth
Lemon twist for garnish (optional)