Between the Sheets
Serves 1 · 5 minutes · Chilled cocktail glass
Last updated 24 October 2026
Between the Sheets is a Prohibition-era sour built on three spirits in equal measure: white rum, Cognac and triple sec, sharpened with lemon. It is one of the strongest cocktails on this site — three 30ml spirit measures — and the unit count below says so plainly.
Ingredients
- — 30ml BACARDÍ Carta Blanca white rum (37.5% ABV, UK bottling)
- — 30ml Courvoisier VS Cognac (40% ABV)
- — 30ml Cointreau triple sec (40% ABV)
- — 20ml fresh lemon juice
- — Ice cubes
- — A lemon twist, optional garnish
Method
- Chill a cocktail glass and measure the rum, Cognac, triple sec and lemon juice into a shaker.
- Fill with ice, seal and shake hard for 10–15 seconds until thoroughly chilled.
- Strain into the chilled glass.
- Add the optional lemon twist and serve immediately, without ice in the glass.
Why it works
Rum keeps the drink dry, Cognac adds weight and grape character, triple sec supplies orange sweetness in place of sugar, and lemon ties them together. The equal-parts structure only works because each spirit is measured; free-pouring any one of them unbalances both flavour and strength.
The classic vs the spiced version
The IBA specifies 30ml white rum, 30ml Cognac, 30ml triple sec and 20ml lemon juice, shaken. We keep those measures and name verified UK bottles. Replace the 30ml white rum with 30ml Dilay only for a clearly labelled spiced adaptation: its cardamom and ginger change one-third of a precisely balanced three-spirit structure.
Tips for getting it right
- — All three spirits are equal 30ml measures. Do not treat the triple sec as a flavouring splash — it is a full third of the alcohol.
- — At 3.53 UK units this is a strong single cocktail. There is no mixer to lengthen it; serve it small and cold.
- — Fresh lemon matters in a drink this spirit-forward. Bottled juice tastes flat against three spirits.
- — Cointreau is the named triple sec at a verified 40%. Other triple secs vary in strength and sweetness; check the label if substituting.
Related serves
For a two-ingredient-strength sour, make the existing Rum Sour
For orange liqueur with a single spirit, try a Cable Car
Frequently asked questions
Is Between the Sheets a strong cocktail?
Yes. It contains three 30ml spirit measures and no mixer — 3.53 UK units with the named bottles. It is one of the strongest single serves on this site.
Can I use spiced rum?
Yes as a labelled adaptation. Substitute the same 30ml measure of Dilay for the white rum; the Cognac, triple sec and lemon stay unchanged.
Is it related to a Sidecar?
Structurally, yes: a Sidecar is Cognac, triple sec and lemon. Between the Sheets adds white rum to that framework, making it stronger and drier.
Can I lengthen it with a mixer?
You could top it with soda, but that makes a different drink. The classic is served short and straight up; dilution from a mixer would not reduce its units anyway.
Try Dilay 1949 Panjabi Spiced Rum in this recipe.
BUY DILAY 1949 PANJABI SPICED RUMRecipe references
- IBA Between the Sheets specification
- Cointreau: official strength
- Master of Malt: Courvoisier VS strength
Our method and spiced adaptations are described separately from the referenced classic specifications.
Approx. 3.53 UK units per serving from the measured alcoholic ingredients. 3.53 UK units per serving with the named bottles: 30ml at 37.5%, 30ml at 40% and 30ml at 40%. This is among the strongest serves on this site. The lemon juice adds no alcohol.
Please drink responsibly. 18+. Visit drinkaware.co.uk for the facts.