Revolver
Bourbon, coffee liqueur and orange bitters, stirred, with a flamed orange peel. Jon Santer's 2004 San Francisco drink — a Manhattan that drinks coffee.
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.
Add the bourbon, coffee liqueur and orange bitters to a mixing glass.
Fill with ice and stir for 25 to 30 seconds.
Strain into the chilled coupe. Hold an orange peel skin-side down over the glass, warm it with a lit match, and squeeze so the oils flame across the surface; drop it in.
A thoughtful finish
- A dry coffee liqueur keeps the drink spirit-forward; the classic sweet style makes it richer and a little dessert-like. Both are good; the drier is closer to Santer's intention with modern bottles.
- The flamed peel is not a trick for its own sake — the caramelised orange oil is a real flavour against the coffee. If you will not flame it, at least express the peel.
- A rye-heavy bourbon stands up to the coffee; a soft wheated one disappears.
Common mistakes
- Too much coffee liqueur. Half an ounce; it is a modifier, not a base.
- Angostura instead of orange bitters. It works but loses the citrus that makes the drink.
- Shaking it. It is stirred and clear.
A few good questions.
What does a Revolver taste like?
A Manhattan with coffee in place of vermouth: bourbon's vanilla and spice, a bitter-sweet coffee depth, and burnt orange on the nose.
Why the name?
Jon Santer made it for Bulleit bourbon — bullet, revolver. The flame adds to the theme.
Which coffee liqueur?
A dry, high-proof cold-brew liqueur is the modern best; the classic sweet Mexican style makes a sweeter, rounder drink that is closer to the 2004 original.
Can I use rye?
Yes. A rye Revolver is drier and spicier and some prefer it.
Variations
- Manhattan — Rye, sweet vermouth and bitters.
- Black Russian — Vodka and coffee liqueur.
- Espresso Martini — Vodka, coffee liqueur and espresso, shaken.
- Old Fashioned — Bourbon, sugar and bitters.
Where it comes from
c. 2004 · San Francisco · Jon Santer · Bruno's
Jon Santer created the Revolver around 2004 at Bruno’s in the Mission, San Francisco, for the launch of Bulleit bourbon — the name is a play on the brand — pairing it with coffee liqueur and orange bitters in a Manhattan-like stir, finished with a flamed orange peel. It spread through the Bay Area bars of the craft revival and then everywhere, and it is now the standard whiskey-and-coffee cocktail, the drink that proved coffee liqueur could be a modifier in a serious stirred drink rather than a dessert ingredient. The flamed peel is part of the recipe.
Sources
- Robert Simonson, A Proper Drink, 2016 (book)
- Robert Simonson, Modern Classic Cocktails, 2022 (book)
- Difford's Guide, Revolver, 2015 (reference)
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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