Millionaire Cocktail

April 17, 2021 by Jennifer

In case you weren’t aware, Thursday was April 15th, the day when the IRS reaches into our pockets and takes a year off our life. Yes, there are a lucky few who escape the horror that is Tax Day, but most of us usually have to pay out in one way or another. This year however, the IRS lost a little leverage. This year Covid happened. And like the rest of us, the IRS also got tagged by the virus. Because Covid effected so many, the IRS was nice enough to push Tax Day. This year, Tax Day is now May 17th. So, in honor of Tax Day I’m making the Millionaire Cocktail.

Here’s the thing about the Millionaire: much like human millionaires, there’s more than one. That’s right, unlike most classic cocktails on this blog, the Millionaire has at least 2 (probably more) drinks with that same moniker. And no, the multiples aren’t new creations using the same name. All of them date back to Prohibition and before. So, since the IRS was nice enough to make two tax days this year, I’m going to make both Millionaires. After all, couldn’t we all use a little extra money?

The Millionaire can be found in several classic cocktail books from the Prohibiton era. Why so many versions? Well, it was the Roaring 20’s! People were dripping in diamonds and pearls, dancing up a storm and playing the stock market like there was no tomorrow. They were raking in the dough and turning into millionaires over night… at least on paper. Of course then the crash came and all the partying and spending came to a screeching halt. Luckily all the Millionaire cocktails still exist.

While Harry Craddock has two listed in his Savoy Cocktail book, the one I’m making today comes from Hyman Gale and Gerald F. Marco’s 1938 The How and When. Unlike its popular counterpart (which I’ll be making next week) which is made with rum, this version uses bourbon. You know how I love bourbon, so of course I shook up this one first. The fact that there’s still a chill in the air makes bourbon a great liquor choice. See, bourbon is a little warmer, a little sweeter and just a great liquor for this time of year. A time when the weather (at least here in California) can’t seem to make up its mind about whether it wants to be warm or cold.

So, since things are finally opening up and people are starting to party again, much like Prohibition, I say it’s time to drink like there’s no tomorrow. After all there’s still a month before the ax comes down and we find out if we’ll be living on champagne and caviar or bread and water. So, until that time, let’s sip a few Millionaires. It is the ’20’s after all.