The evocatively named Three Dots and a Sprint is a traditional Caribbean-inspired cocktail that mixes two varieties of rum, falernum, allspice dram, honey syrup, lime juice, orange juice, and bitters to create a daring and refreshing tropical escape.
The Three Dots and a Sprint was created by the legendary Donn Seaside at his well-known Hollywood bar, Don the Beachcomber, throughout World Battle II. The title is a reference to the way in which the letter “V” is conveyed in Morse code, with three dots and a touch. The “V” stood for the victory of the Allies towards the Axis powers. In step with this theme, the garnish is supposed to appear like Morse code as nicely, with three cherries and an oblong chunk of pineapple, or pineapple frond, on a cocktail choose.
The Three Dots and a Sprint is an everlasting favourite of that period and beloved at tropical bars like Smugglers Cove (this recipe is customized from their up to date model of the drink), and on the cocktail’s namesake bar, Three Dots and a Sprint in Chicago.
Why the Three Dots and a Sprint works
Seaside’s recipes had been infamous for having a protracted record of elements. Whereas cocktails are often simpler to steadiness with fewer parts, Seaside’s mixture of rums, fruit juices, syrups and spice parts nearly all the time finally ends up balanced, advanced, and satisfying. That is partly as a result of they’re primarily based on the traditional bitter template that balances spirits, the acidity of contemporary citrus juice, and easy syrup.
Two various kinds of rum are used to make the Three Dots and a Sprint. The primary is an aged rhum agricole, which is a method of sugarcane-based rum from the Caribbean island of Martinique. This fashion of rum tends to have a grassier, more energizing profile than molasses-based rums. The grassy freshness is balanced by a half ounce of aged rum, which was historically a demerara fashion rum from Guyana, like El Dorado.
The drink’s sweetness comes from a trio of velvet falernum, allspice dram, and honey syrup. The honey syrup is a straightforward combination of two components honey to at least one half water, heated till absolutely integrated. Falernum and allspice dram are two distinct Caribbean spiced liqueurs. Allspice dram brings deep baking spice notes — significantly nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice — whereas falernum presents a nuttier profile with hints of spice and lime zest.
With a touch of Angostura bitters, all of those elements are blended right into a heady brew of tropical fruit and spice that’s assured to be a victory with drinkers.