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Cocktail History
The Millionaire No. 1 is a vintage cocktail that was created in the 1800s and was first published in The Savoy Cocktail Book by Harry Craddock in the 1930s. It’s traditionally made with dark rum, apricot brandy, citrus, and sloe gin, a British liqueur made with gin and sloes, which is a fruit similar to a plum.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Dark Rum: This is a type of rum made with sugarcane, spices, and water that has been barrel aged for a long period of time. We used Plantation Original Dark Rum because it has a unique spiced flavor with notes of banana, plum, and vanilla. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Caleño Non-Alcoholic Dark & Spicy Tropical Spirit in place of the rum.
Sloe Gin: This is a liqueur made with sloes, sugar, and alcohol. We used Plymouth Sloe Gin because it’s the original sloe gin with a rich flavor. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Monin Non-Alcoholic Blackcurrant Syrup in place of the liqueur.
Apricot Brandy: This is a liqueur made with apricots, spices, sugar, brandy, and water. We used Phillips Apricot Brandy because it’s flavorful and affordable. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Escape Mocktails Non-Alcoholic Cognac Alternative and Monin Non-Alcoholic Stone Fruit Syrup in place of the apricot brandy.
Lime Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lime. We used freshly squeezed lime juice.
Grenadine: This is a sweetener made with pomegranate juice and white sugar. We made ours at home using Alex’s stovetop recipe.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. We used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. We used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. We used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. We used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.
Tasting Notes
The Millionaire No. 1 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, the Millionaire No. 1 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.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Art of Vintage Cocktails by Stephanie Rosenbaum.
Add rum, sloe gin, apricot brandy, lime juice, grenadine, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a cocktail glass.
Ingredients
Directions
Add rum, sloe gin, apricot brandy, lime juice, grenadine, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a cocktail glass.
Make It a Mocktail: Use Caleño Non-Alcoholic Dark & Spicy Tropical Spirit in place of the rum, Monin Non-Alcoholic Blackcurrant Syrup in place of the liqueur, and Escape Mocktails Non-Alcoholic Cognac Alternative and Monin Non-Alcoholic Stone Fruit Syrup in place of the apricot brandy to try a booze-free version of this drink.
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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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