Tiki · Brunch · Summer

Three Dots and a Dash

Two rums with falernum, allspice, honey, lime and orange. The garnish spells V in Morse code — three cherries and a chunk of pineapple.

Base: Rum
Glass: Tiki mug
Method: Shake
Strength: 22.24% ABV

Ingredients

45 mlRhum Martinique Agricole
15 mlBlended Aged Rum
7.5 mlFalernum
7.5 mlAllspice Dram
15 mlFresh Lime Juice1 swap
Fresh lemon juicemedium
Slightly less floral, more tart
15 mlFresh Orange Juice
15 mlHoney Syrup1 swap
Honey syrup or agavemedium
Little change
2 dashAngostura Bitters

How to make

Technique

Shake · 10–15s

Shaking chills the drink fast while adding dilution and a light texture.

Pour all ingredients in a Blender with 12 ounces of crushed ice, flash blend, pour the drink into a footed copo glass.
Fill the glass with more crushed ice.

Serve

Glass

Tiki mugAlso fine: Double old fashioned glass, Highball glass

Garnish

Garnish with three cherries and a rectangular chunk of pineapple.Spear all four together so they clear the rim.

Taste & nutrition

22.24%ABV

259kcal

2.3Drinks

StrengthMedium

Sweet to dryBalanced

Estimated from ingredient amounts and assumed ABVs — not a lab measurement.

Good to know

Use freshly squeezed juice — bottled tastes flat.

History

Year1940s

PlaceChicago, USA

Created byDonn Beach

Donn Beach created Three Dots and a Dash during the Second World War at his tiki restaurant, naming it after the Morse code for "V" — victory. It is a complex rum drink layered with citrus, honey and spices in true tiki fashion. Its garnish even echoes the dots-and-dash pattern. It is one of the great classics of the tiki repertoire.

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