Millionaire Cocktail No. 1

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
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Updated on 04/23/21
Millionaire Cocktail No.1

The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail

The millionaire cocktail is a classic drink that has stood up to the tests of time and been adapted into many forms. This recipe is the original millionaire cocktail no. 1 from Harry Cradock's 1930 "Savoy Cocktail Book". The drink is a lovely mix of sloe gin, apricot brandy, and Jamaican rum with a hint of sweet and sour.

There are quite a few different recipes that specify brands and change the ratio. You may also come across the whiskey-based millionaire, which can lead to some confusion.​ Both are nice drinks, though, and you might end up with a preference for one over the other. You'll never know unless you try them both!

Ingredients

  • 3/4 ounce Jamaican rum

  • 3/4 ounce apricot brandy

  • 3/4 ounce sloe gin

  • 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice

  • 1 dash grenadine

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a cocktail shaker, pour the rum, apricot brandy, sloe gin, lime juice, and grenadine. Fill with ice.

  3. Shake well.

  4. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

  5. Serve and enjoy.

Tips

  • In Craddock's recipe, it calls for the "juice of 1 lime" and that can vary from one piece of fruit to another. On average, you'll get 1/2 ounce to 1 ounce from a lime, which is a big difference. If you're trying to perfect the recipe to your personal taste, measure the lime juice so you can keep track of what you like best.
  • Some variations use apricot nectar instead of the brandy. Either is a good choice. You will notice the difference and it will even change between brandies because many of this flavor are actually sweetened liqueurs.
  • Sloe gin is a sweet liqueur that is flavored with sloe berries (gin is not a viable substitute). If you have access to the fresh fruit, consider making your own sloe gin.
  • In classic recipes, styles of rum were often designated by their origin. For this drink, Jamaican rum is recommended, which is typically a darker, full-bodied rum. Meyer's Rum, J. Wray & Nephew, and Appleton Estate are among the island's top brands, though you will find white rums as well.

Recipe Variation

The millionaire was a very popular cocktail name back in the late 1800s and early 1900s and you'll notice that grenadine is often the common ingredient. "The Old Waldorf-Astoria Bar Book" identifies another type of millionaire as a "Dry martini with grenadine on top".

How Strong Is a Millionaire Cocktail No. 1?

This is a tricky cocktail to estimate the alcohol content because the three spirits can vary in intensity, plus there's the lime juice volume issue. So, the average will have to do. You can expect this millionaire to mix up to around 18 percent ABV (36 proof), which is typical of drinks of this style and age.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
158 Calories
0g Fat
6g Carbs
0g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 158
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 1mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 6g 2%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 5mg 23%
Calcium 2mg 0%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 20mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)