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Cocktail History
The Millionaire is a vintage cocktail that was created sometime in the 1800s and was first published in The Savoy Cocktail Book by Harry Craddock in 1934. It’s made with dark rum, apricot brandy, citrus, and sloe gin, a British liqueur made with gin and sloes (a fruit similar to a plum).
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Dark Rum: This is the base spirit. We used Plantation Original Dark Rum for its spiced flavor and its ability to blend well in cocktails.
Sloe Gin: This is a red gin-based liqueur made with sloes. We used Plymouth Sloe Gin because it’s the original.
Apricot Brandy: This is a Cognac-based liqueur that adds apricot flavor. We used Phillip’s Apricot Brandy because it’s flavorful and affordable.
Lime Juice: This adds sour citrus flavors for balance. We prefer to use fresh citrus juice because it’s less bitter than the bottled stuff and tastes better.
Tasting Notes
The Millionaire features aromas of citrus and brandy and tastes like rum and sloe gin at first balanced by sour citrus with hints of apricot on the finish.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: We both liked this recipe more than expected! It’s sweet while still being very citrus forward, and it features a hint of both the gin and brandy, so you get to experience all of the different flavors quite nicely. Just a warning though, it really is as red as it looks in the photo, so if you make this one, maybe try it early on in the evening. That way you don’t stain your outfit if you happen to spill.
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Art of Vintage Cocktails by Stephanie Rosenbaum.
AuthorThe Art of Vintage CocktailsPrep Time5 minsAdd rum, sloe gin, apricot brandy, lime juice, and ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a cocktail glass.
Ingredients
Directions
Add rum, sloe gin, apricot brandy, lime juice, and ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a cocktail glass.
Tools & Glassware We Recommend
More Classic Cocktails
If you like this classic cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
• Brooklyn: A rye cocktail made with dry vermouth, maraschino liqueur, and Amer Picon
• Martinez: A gin cocktail made with sweet vermouth, cherry liqueur, and orange bitters
• Vesper Martini: A gin and vodka cocktail made with Lillet Blanc and a lemon twist
• Manhattan: A whiskey cocktail made with sweet vermouth, orange bitters, an orange peels, and a cherry
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