The Cocktail Revolver is a variant of the Manhattan with bourbon and Tia Maria coffee liqueur. Top it all off with a bowl of flambéed orange!
Here’s a drink to impress all your friends: this Revolver Cocktail! This version of Manhattan’s flagship bourbon is paired with Tia Maria, a coffee liqueur, instead of the usual sweet vermouth. It’s an intriguing drink: sweet notes of vanilla and oak at the start of the sip, with a lingering bittersweet coffee finish. The best part? Top with a flambéed orange zest to add a burnt orange flavor. This is really nice. That’s how it’s done!
What’s in a Revolver Cocktail?
The Revolver cocktail is a variation of the Manhattan invented in 2004 by bartender Jon Santer of Bruno’s in San Francisco. He created it specifically for Bulleit Bourbon, hence the name (get it?). Instead of the standard sweet vermouth, Santer substituted for Tia Maria, a coffee liqueur that looks like a fancier version of Kahlua. He added a flambéed orange note for the theater, and it became an instant hit. The ingredients for a revolver cocktail are:
- Bourbon whiskey
- Aunt Maria (or other coffee liqueur)
- orange bitters
- Orange peel
All you have to do? Mix ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and strain into a glass. If you’re ready for drama, read on…
how to burn orange peel
What is a flambéed orange peel? Squeezing an orange zest to squeeze out the oils is a classic garnish for drinks like Manhattan and Old Fashioned, adding a citrusy flavor when you lift the glass for a drink. Are you doing this while holding a match next to the orange peel? You’ll see a spark right away and add a nice burnt orange flavor to the drink.
How to Flambé an Orange Peel for the Revolver Cocktail! As always, be careful when playing with fire:
- Cut a piece of orange zest into a 2 inch circle.
- Hold the bowl about 5 cm away from the cocktail glass and heat it with a lit match.
- Quickly squeeze the skin to squeeze out the oils and flare briefly when the oil hits the jar.
About Tia Maria
Tia Maria is a coffee liqueur that is totally worth adding to your collection. Here’s a little more about it:
- Aunt Maria is a coffee liqueur invented in Jamaica in the 1940s, made from coffee beans, Jamaican rum, vanilla and sugar. It is now distributed by Pernod Ricard and made in Italy.
- How does Tia Maria taste? It’s like a refined version of Kahlua: very sweet with bitter coffee and strong notes of vanilla. Compared to Kahlua, it has more depth and a stronger coffee flavor.
- Which ABV is Tia Maria? It’s 20% ABV.
More drinks with Tia Maria
What else can you do with Tia Maria once you’ve grabbed a bottle for the Revolver cocktail? Here are some tastier drinks made from coffee liqueur:
When to serve a Revolver cocktail
The Revolver cocktail is a sophisticated and complex bourbon cocktail. It’s perfect for sipping as:
- Happy hour drink
- Drink at dinner
- Late night drinks
- Evening drink between boys or between girls
- Aperitif at aperitif time
The description
The Cocktail Revolver is a variant of the Manhattan with bourbon and Tia Maria coffee liqueur. Top it all off with a bowl of flambéed orange!
- 2 ounces Bourbon Whiskey (like Bulleit)
- 1 ounce Tia Maria* (or other coffee liqueur like Kahlua or Sheridan)
- 2 Splash of orange bitters
- Combine bourbon, tia maria, and orange bitters in a mixing glass (or shaker) with a handful of ice. Stir until cool, then strain into a cocktail glass.
- Squeeze the orange zest onto the glass and squeeze to release the oils. Or, if desired, flambé orange zest (take precautions against fire if necessary!): Cut a piece of orange zest into a 2-inch circle. Hold the bowl about 5 cm away from the cocktail glass and heat it with a lit match. Then quickly press the skin to squeeze out the oils, briefly flaring as the oil hits the jar.
Remarks
*To convert to ounces, 1 ounce = 2 tablespoons. The classic recipe contains ½ ounce of Tia Maria, but we prefer a stronger flavor at 1 ounce.
- Category: drink
- Method: shakes
- Kitchen: cocktails
- Diet: vegan
Keywords: Revolver Cocktail
