Three Miller

Difford's Guide
Discerning Drinkers (32 ratings)

Serve in a

Coupe glass
Ingredients:
1 1/3 fl oz Rémy Martin V.S.O.P. cognac
2/3 fl oz Light white rum (charcoal-filtered 1-4 years old)
1/3 fl oz Lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
1/4 fl oz Monin Grenadine Syrup
1/3 fl oz Chilled water (omit if using wet ice)
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Read about cocktail measures and measuring.

How to make:

  1. Select and pre-chill a Coupe glass.
  2. Prepare garnish of lemon zest twist.
  3. SHAKE all ingredients with ice.
  4. FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.
  5. EXPRESS lemon zest twist over the cocktail and use as garnish.

AKA:

Three Mile Limit

Strength & taste guide:


Review:

A seriously strong drink, in flavour and in alcohol.

History:

The Three Miller is one of several Prohibition-era cocktails whose name references the distance from a shore that a nation's territorial waters. During the 18th century this was established as three nautical miles (5.6 km), the distance a cannonball could be shot from the shore to repel incursions. Hence, during Prohibition, US jurisdiction was limited to three miles offshore so allowing the legal supply of alcohol to parties on board boats just outside territorial waters.

As the number of offshore parties grew, the US negotiated agreements with countries such as the UK and France to recognize the right of the American authorities to enforce Prohibition and anti-smuggling laws to an extended 12-mile limit. Predictably, the parties moved further off-shore. On 29th December 1988, President Reagan extended the territorial waters of the United States to 12 miles from 3 miles.

The notoriety of the three-mile and then 12-mile limit to the reach of the Feds during Prohibition led to the Three Miller/Three Mile Limit, the Twelve Miles Out, and the Twelve Mile Limit cocktails.

This cocktail appears in in Harry MacElhone's 1922 Harry's ABC of Mixing Cocktails and his 1927 Barflies & Cocktails as the "Three Mile Limit Cocktail" and then in Harry Craddock's 1930 The Savoy Cocktail Book as the "Three Miller Cocktail."

Three Mile Limit Cocktail.
1 Teaspoon of Grenadine, 1 dash of Lemon Juice, 2/3 Brandy, 1/3 Bacardi Rum.
Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.
(Note. This cocktail was invented at Harry's New York Bar, Paris by "Chips," Brighton, the popular Bartender. One of the effects of the Volstead Act, people get busy when outside of the three miles.

Harry MacElhone, 1927

THREE MILLER COCKTAIL.
1 Teaspoon Grenadine.
1 Dash Lemon Juice.
2/3 Brandy.
1/3 Bacardi Rum.
Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

Harry Craddock, 1930

Nutrition:

One serving of Three Miller contains 156 calories.

Alcohol content:

  • 1.3 standard drinks
  • 20.17% alc./vol. (40.34° proof)
  • 17.6 grams of pure alcohol
Difford's Guide remains free-to-use thanks to the support of the brands in green above. Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

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