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Cocktail History
The Corpse Reviver No. Blue is a modern cocktail that was created in 2007 by Jacob Briars, a bartender and brand ambassador at Bacardi. It’s made using the same equal-part ingredients as the Corpse Reviver No. 2, including gin, Lillet Blanc, lemon, and absinthe. But this version swaps out the orange curaçao for its bright blue sibling to add a fun color to an otherwise simple cocktail.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Gin: This is a spirit made with juniper berries, botanicals, and alcohol. I used Bombay Sapphire Gin.
Blue Curaçao: This is a liqueur made with oranges, sugar, spices, blue food coloring, and alcohol. I used Bols Blue Curaçao.
Lillet Blanc: This is an aromatized wine liqueur made in France with Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon grapes, citrus, florals, honey, baking spices, and water.
Lemon Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lemon. I used freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Absinthe: This is a spirit made with anise, wormwood, fennel, botanicals, and alcohol. I used Great Lakes Distillery Amerique 1912 Absinthe Verte.
Lemon Twist: This is the peel of a lemon that has been twisted into a corkscrew shape.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. I used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. I used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. I used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. I used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.
Peeler: This is used to remove the garnish peel from the citrus. I used the OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Peeler Set.
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Tasting Notes
This cocktail has the following flavor profile:
• Appearance: Bright blue color
• Aroma: Anise and zesty lemon
• Taste: Unmistakably balanced flavor that marries lemon, semi-sweet herbal vermouth, and gin
• Finish: Gin botanicals and citrus
Kendall’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Kendall’s Take: “It’s been quite some time since I’ve had a Corpse Reviver, but I have vague memories of not loving it all that much because it had an absinthe rinse. My palate has apparently developed a bit because I didn’t mind it this time around. I probably still wouldn’t make it again, but this blue-hued version is quite lovely and fun for this time of year. Plus, the Corpse Reviver No. Blue is literally just a Corpse Reviver No. 2 made with blue liqueur, so you can trust that it’s similar in taste to the original.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was found on Liquor.com.
Corpse Reviver No. Blue
Author: Jacob Briars
Location: London, UK
Year Created: 2007
Description: The Corpse Reviver No. Blue follows the classic equal-part formula of gin, Lillet Blanc, lemon, and absinthe of the classic Corpse Reviver, but this vibrant variation swaps in bright blue curaçao for a playful twist on the traditional cocktail.
Base Spirit: Gin
Method: Shaken
Serving Size: 1
Ingredients
Method
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Add gin, blue curaçao, Lillet Blanc, and lemon juice to a shaker.
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Fill a shaker with cubed ice.
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Shake for 10-20 seconds.
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Using a Hawthorne and fine mesh strainer, strain into a cocktail glass.
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Garnish with lemon twist.
