Widows Kiss
Widows Kiss is made with Calvados, Bénédictine, yellow Chartreuse and bitters in an apple brandy drink, served cold.
Built to the standard modern spec; not yet tested in our kitchen. How we test.
The recipe.
Scaling adjusts quantities only. Prepare shaken drinks in individual portions.
Let’s make a good drink.
Chill a coupe and prepare the garnish before mixing.
Add all measured ingredients to a mixing glass.
Add ice and stir until thoroughly cold and gently diluted, tasting with a clean spoon if needed.
Strain into the prepared coupe.
Complete the source’s garnish presentation, then serve immediately.
A thoughtful finish
- The selected modern serving is stirred; the historical book used a shaken preparation.
- Measure the liqueur and base spirit separately to keep the published proportions consistent.
- Use solid ice and stir smoothly; stop once the mixture is cold and pleasantly diluted.
Common mistakes
- Using green Chartreuse without labeling the change produces a stronger and more assertive variation.
- Free-pouring the sweet ingredient can cover the spirit’s flavor even when the serving looks correct.
- Stirring with mostly melted ice can make the drink watery before it becomes properly cold.
A few good questions.
What is in a Widows Kiss?
Widows Kiss is made with Calvados, Bénédictine, yellow Chartreuse and bitters in an apple brandy drink.
Can I scale a Widows Kiss for more servings?
Multiply every measured ingredient by the same serving count. Prepare the measured still ingredients ahead if useful, but chill, shake or stir each serving as directed; add any carbonated finish at service.
Can I switch liqueur brands?
You can try another bottle of the same liqueur style, but sweetness and alcohol content can vary. Treat the result as a bottle variation and keep the original version identified.
Who created the Widows Kiss?
The cited source credits George J. Kappeler, with no verified creation year recorded here at Holland House Hotel. The recipe-version note identifies any later adaptation.
Variations
- Another bottle of the base — Editorial bottle variation: use another producer of the same calvados style at the listed measure; record the bottle rather than assuming identical sweetness or strength.
- Over a large ice cube — Editorial serving variation: serve the same measured mixture over a large fresh cube in a rocks glass; continued ice melt will change its dilution over time.
Where it comes from
New York City, USA · George J. Kappeler · Holland House Hotel
Widows Kiss is made with Calvados, Bénédictine, yellow Chartreuse and bitters in an apple brandy drink, served cold.
Sources
- Difford’s Guide — Widows Kiss Cocktail Recipe (reference) link
Strength. About 1.71 US standard drinks at an estimated 33.4% ABV, estimated from the ingredients and technique, not measured. What that means.
A little character in every sip.
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