A twist on the gin sour, here’s how to make the Army and Navy Cocktail.
Army and Navy Cocktail – Photo © Cocktails & Bars
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The cocktail first appeared in David A. Embury’s 1948 book, The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, and unlike what the name suggests, it has no military or naval origins. The drink is likely to have originated at the Army and Navy Club in Washington DC.
A riff on the gin sour, the cocktail combines the citrus tang of freshly squeezed lemon juice with the creaminess of orgeat, a syrup that consists of almonds, sugar and a touch of orange blossom water. A dash of aromatic bitters adds length and complexity. The drink is finished with an expressed grapefruit peel which doubles as garnish.
Army and Navy Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients
- 60ml gin
- 25ml lemon juice
- 15ml orgeat
- 1 dash of Angostura bitters
Glassware: coupette
Garnish: lemon zest, grapefruit peel
Method
In a cocktail shaker, add the gin, freshly squeezed lemon juice, orgeat and bitters over ice and shake hard until well chilled. Double strain into a chilled coupette. Express the grapefruit peel over the drink to release the essential oils and use it to garnish.
