Corpse Reviver No.1 (Savoy recipe)

Difford’s Guide
Discerning drinkers (37 ratings)

Serve in a Coupe glass

Ingredients:
1 12 oz Rémy Martin V.S.O.P.
34 oz Calvados / apple brandy / straight applejack
34 oz Strucchi Vermouth Rosso
1 dash Angostura Orange Bitters
× 1 1 serving
Read about cocktail measures and measuring

How to make:

  1. Select and pre-chill a Coupe glass.
  2. Prepare garnish of orange zest twist.
  3. STIR ingredients with ice.
  4. STRAIN into chilled glass.
  5. EXPRESS orange zest twist over the cocktail and use as garnish.

Allergens:

Recipe contains the following allergens:

Strength & taste guide:

Gentle
Boozy
Sweet
Dry/sour

Review:

Dry and potent. A 'pick-me-up' hangover cure - or possibly put-you-right-back-down-again!

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History:

Generally credited to Frank Meier, bar manager at the Ritz Bar in Paris during the 1920s and 30s, although he makes no claim to the drink in his 1936 The Artistry of Mixing Drinks. This recipe is adapted from Harry Craddock's 1930 The Savoy Cocktail Book.

CORPSE REVIVER. (No.1)
¼ Italian Vermouth.
¼ Apple Brandy or Calvados.
½ Brandy.
To be taken before 11 a.m., or whenever steam and energy are needed.

Harry Craddock, 1930

Frank Caiafa (long-term NYC bartender, beverage director and author of The Waldorf Astoria Bar Book adds a dash of orange bitters to the established Savoy recipe and stipulates the use of assertive Carpano Antica as the vermouth his Corpse Reviver No. 1.

Frank Caiafa's Corpse Reviver No. 1
45ml (1½oz) Cognac
22.5ml (¾oz) Calvados
22.5ml (¾oz) Carpano Antica vermouth
1 dash Orange bitters

Nutrition:

One serving of Corpse Reviver No.1 (Savoy recipe) contains 191 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1.7 standard drinks
  • 26.76% alc./vol. (26.76° proof)
  • 24.2 grams of pure alcohol

Difford’s Guide remains free-to-use thanks to the support of the brands in green above. Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

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Marie-Therese Straus’ Avatar Marie-Therese Straus
1st November 2022 at 01:50
This was our Halloween cocktail this year. Very nice mix of flavours but very dry (we used a different, somewhat less fruity Calvados than Avallen). Ended up adding a barspoon of Grand Marnier to each drink to sweeten very slightly and play up the orange flavour from the bitters. Really nice and we will make again throughout the autumn/winter season.
John Hinojos’ Avatar John Hinojos
17th April 2022 at 03:37
I liked this. It is different from the traditional Corpse Reviver. It was a very nice after-dinner and evening sipper.