Army & Navy Cocktail Recipe

The Army & Navy is a mid-century cocktail comprised of gin, freshly squeezed lemon juice, orgeat and bitters. The bright and aromatic drink is essentially a Gin Sour variation that swaps out simple syrup for orgeat, a complex, nut-based syrup often used in tropical drinks. 

Some historians tie the drink’s origins, based on name alone, to the Army and Navy Club, a private, members-only club in Washington, D.C., supposedly the same place the Daiquiri had its U.S. debut in 1909. The club, still in operation, continues to serve the signature cocktail but has little information about the history of its creation. 

One of the first known references to the Army & Navy cocktail was in the 1937 edition of the Café Royal Cocktail Book, but didn’t include a recipe. In David A. Embury’s 1948 edition of The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, the recipe is included with a note from the author about the drink’s specifications, originally written as one part lemon juice, one part orgeat, two parts gin.

In the book, Embury writes, “I have given the original recipe which, to my mind, is horrible. If made to my 1:2:8 formula, it is merely the Gin Sour with orgeat used in place of sugar syrup.” 

Needless to say, Embury’s variation would yield a very dry, spirit-forward drink.

Why the Army & Navy works

The classic Gin Sour, often made in the traditional 2:1:1 sour ratio with an option to add egg white for froth and texture, is bright, balanced, and botanical. The Army & Navy hews close to the classic’s ingredient makeup and structure. The notable differentiator is the sweet, creamy nut syrup, orgeat. 

An essential ingredient in tropical classics such as the Mai Tai and Scorpion, orgeat lends the necessary sweetness that a simple syrup might, but with added viscosity, complexity, and marzipan-like qualities.

The recipe featured here pulls back on the sweetness, calling for slightly less orgeat than the original. The full ounce of fresh lemon juice keeps the sweetness in check and makes for a proper sour.