Corpse Reviver No. 3 recipe

Name: Corpse Reviver No. 3
Prep time: 3 min
Total time: 3 min
Yield: 1 cocktail
Cuisine: Cocktail
Ingredients: 1.5 oz Cognac; 0.5 oz Fernet-Branca; 0.5 oz White crème de menthe

A historic Savoy Hotel formulation bridging rich cognac, bitter fernet, and crisp mint.

Method: Shake and fine strain · Glass: Chilled coupe glass · Time: 3 min · Difficulty: Intermediate · Family: The Sidecar Family

Ingredients

1.5 oz Cognac (VSOP preferred)
0.5 oz Fernet-Branca (Italian amaro)
0.5 oz White crème de menthe (Clear mint liqueur)

How to make a Corpse Reviver No. 3

Add cognac, Fernet-Branca, and white crème de menthe to a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
Shake vigorously for approximately fifteen seconds until thoroughly chilled.
Double strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a chilled coupe glass.
Express the oils from a fresh lemon peel over the surface of the drink.
Garnish with the lemon twist and serve immediately.

Garnish

Garnish with a fresh lemon twist.

Pro tip

White crème de menthe provides the necessary sugar and mint aromatics without tinting the cognac amber hue. Adjust the Fernet-Branca fraction slightly if you prefer a drier, more medicinal bitterness.

History of the Corpse Reviver No. 3

First documented in Harry Craddock's 1930 The Savoy Cocktail Book, the Corpse Reviver series comprises morning-after restorative drinks intended to revive weary drinkers. While the famed No. 2 relies on gin and lillet, the lesser-known No. 3 pairs cognac with Fernet-Branca and white crème de menthe. Attribution remains somewhat disputed among cocktail historians regarding whether Craddock invented the recipe or compiled existing transatlantic hangover cures, though its inclusion cemented the drink in pre-Prohibition European cocktail lore.

Flavour profile

Herbaceous, Minty, Bittersweet, Complex

Variations

Corpse Reviver No. 2 — Substitute gin for cognac, Lillet Blanc for Fernet-Branca, and Cointreau for white crème de menthe, adding an absinthe rinse.
Stinger Riff — Increase the white crème de menthe proportion and omit the Fernet-Branca for a sweeter, mint-forward brandy digestif.

Practise making the Corpse Reviver No. 3 in the free Virtual Bar game.