Extra Spooky Corpse Reviver Cocktail Recipe
It's October 31 and the winds of Halloween night blow crisply through the air, raising the hairs on your neck. You hear a faint howling echo in the distance as the full moon shines eerily above. A chill runs through your spine as you pass an empty graveyard, which feels darker and more ominous than usual on this particular night. Just as you're walking away, you notice something out of the corner of your eye. Was that... a hand?
Though a classic Corpse Reviver cocktail is meant for reviving hungover humans, on Halloween night this cocktail serves the ghouls, spirits, and ghosts of the graveyard. In this recipe, developer Michelle McGlinn riffs the classic Reviver No. 2 — a mix of Lillet blanc, gin, triple sec, absinthe, and lemon — and turns it into a spooky, swirling, night-sky shaded cocktail. Keeping the bright Lillet blanc and hint of absinthe, this cocktail otherwise features black currant liqueur and activated charcoal. It's sweet and almost fruity, but don't let that fool you: This cocktail is strong. Strong enough, even, to be a real corpse reviver.
Gathering ingredients for an extra spooky corpse reviver cocktail
Start with absinthe, then grab Lillet blanc, gin, crème de cassis, and lemon juice. Crème de cassis is a black currant liqueur usually found around the cordials and other flavor enhancers like bitters. It isn't typically the main feature of a drink and is sold in small bottles (but is worth having on hand for kir royales). Lillet blanc is an infused wine that adds a unique sweet floral flavor to cocktails; in a pinch, you can swap for vermouth.
The last ingredient you'll need is activated charcoal. This is sold as a powder and needs to be labeled as "food grade" in order to safely use (you don't want to use the stuff in your fireplace). If you don't have any, use black food dye instead.
Step 1: Add absinthe to the glass
Add ½ ounce absinthe to cocktail glass.
Step 2: Rinse the glass
Swirl the absinthe around the perimeter of the glass, coating the sides. Pour out any remaining absinthe.
Step 3: Fill a shaker with ice
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
Step 4: Add ingredients to shaker
Add gin, Lillet Blanc, crème de cassis, lemon juice, and charcoal to the shaker.
Step 5: Shake
Shake until chilled, about 15 seconds.
Step 6: Strain and serve
Strain into absinthe-rinsed glass and serve.
What can you use instead of absinthe in a corpse reviver?
Absinthe is an anise-flavored liquor, used here as a rinse meant only for aroma. The herbal, almost minty liquor is a green color and can be a little expensive because it tends to be very strong. You can buy a bottle and later enjoy absinthe the traditional way: with a sugar cube and slotted spoon. However, for this recipe you only need a splash for rinsing the glass, so if you don't have absinthe on hand, we recommend swapping for something you may already have instead.
For the same anise aroma, try Pernod or Pastis, which you may have lying around from making bouillabaisse (and if you haven't made bouillabaisse, now's the time to try it). Anisette or ouzo are also great options. If you are out of options – or simply don't like licorice flavor – you can also skip this step and continue with the recipe in the cocktail shaker.
How should you serve an extra spooky corpse reviver?
While this cocktail actually has a delicate summery flavor and can be enjoyed year-round, the spooky black color makes it perfect for serving on Halloween night. We suggest serving in your cutest (or, er, spookiest) Halloween coupe glasses, and making the cocktail a double to fill larger vessels like wine glasses. If the drink is too strong, dilute it by adding a few ice cubes; this also makes the black color pop. Garnish with any herbs you have on hand, like rosemary or sage. For an extra spooky effect, we highly recommend gently lighting the tip of your herby garnish with a match. The herb will smoke gently, creating a very ominous, smoky aroma.
Serve this spooky cocktail with other Halloween-inspired snacks like "ogre eye" devilled eggs, spooky spicy graveyard dip, or trick-or-treat apple dip. While this shaken cocktail can't be easily batched, you can make up to 4 servings at a time in your cocktail shaker and divide them into glasses.
- ½ ounce absinthe
- 1 ounce Lillet Blanc
- 1 ounce gin
- 1 ounce crème de cassis
- ½ ounce lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon activated charcoal
- Add ½ ounce absinthe to cocktail glass.
- Swirl the absinthe around the perimeter of the glass, coating the sides. Pour out any remaining absinthe.
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Add gin, Lillet Blanc, crème de cassis, lemon juice, and charcoal to the shaker.
- Shake until chilled, about 15 seconds.
- Strain into absinthe-rinsed glass and serve.