Widow's Kiss
ClassicApplejack, Bénédictine, and yellow Chartreuse, stirred strong. A 19th-century drink that hides real strength behind sweetness.
Rich and honeyed, applejack's baked-apple warmth wrapped in Bénédictine's spice and yellow Chartreuse's herbal sweetness, with bitters keeping the whole thing from tipping into dessert.
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz Applejack
- 0.5 oz Bénédictine
- 0.25 oz Yellow Chartreuse
- 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
- None · optional garnish
Method
- 1
Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice.
- 2
Stir until well chilled.
- 3
Strain into a chilled coupe.
The Story
The Widow's Kiss first appeared in print in George Kappeler's 1895 "Modern American Drinks," built around American applejack rather than the French Calvados its structure otherwise resembles. Two herbal liqueurs stacked on top of an already potent apple brandy make it deceptively strong for how gently sweet it drinks — a trait 19th-century bartenders seemed to enjoy more than their customers realized at the time.
Recipe card
The whole recipe in one shareable image.
