The Revolver cocktail is a three ingredient bourbon-based drink with a coffee liqueur. Here’s how to make it and add a touch of theatrics.
Revolver Cocktail – Photo © Cocktails & Bars
The Revolver cocktail was created by bartender Jon Santer in the early 2000s in San Francisco. He created the drink at Bruno’s in San Francisco before taking it with him to Bourbon & Branch bar also in SF. The spirit-forward bourbon based drink is essentially a riff on the Manhattan using coffee liqueur in place of sweet vermouth.
Much like the Espresso Martini and Irish Coffee, this three-ingredient cocktail appeals to fans of coffee cocktails where the coffee liqueur adds a little sweetness while the orange bitters brighten the drink.
The original garnish for the Revolver cocktail is a flamed orange peel which adds a touch of theatre in a bar, something you may or may not wish to try at home (see below). The alternative is to simply express an orange coin over the drink and use it as garnish.
Revolver Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients
- 60ml bourbon
- 15ml coffee liqueur
- 2 dashes of orange bitters
Glassware: coupette
Garnish: flamed / expressed orange coin
Method
In a mixing glass, add bourbon, coffee liqueur, orange bitters and ice cubes and stir well until chilled. Strain into a chilled coupette.
To flame the orange peel, use a lighter or a match and hold it near the surface of the drink. Using the other hand, hold the orange peel between the thumb and first finger making sure the orange skin is facing the flame. Squeeze the peel gently, releasing the oil through the flame and onto the surface of the cocktail in a burst of theatrics. Alternatively, express an orange coin over the surface of the drink and add it as garnish.
