Army and Navy
Gin, lemon and orgeat, shaken. A 1940s gin sour sweetened with almond syrup — the Mai Tai's orgeat in a Gimlet's frame, and one of the best gin sours nobody orders.
Built to the standard modern spec; not yet tested in our kitchen. How we test.
The recipe.
Scaling adjusts quantities only. Prepare shaken drinks in individual portions.
Let’s make a good drink.
Chill a coupe.
Add the gin, lemon juice and orgeat (and bitters, if using) to a shaker.
Fill with ice and shake hard for 10 to 12 seconds.
Double strain into the chilled coupe and garnish with a lemon twist.
A thoughtful finish
- A good orgeat — real almond, orange-flower water — is the drink. The cheap almond-flavoured syrups taste of marzipan extract.
- Half an ounce of orgeat is the modern measure; Embury's original was closer to a quarter and very dry.
- A dash of Angostura on top of the foam makes it prettier and a little more complex.
Common mistakes
- Amaretto in place of orgeat. It is sweeter, alcoholic, and a different drink.
- Too much orgeat; it coats the mouth.
- A soft, floral gin that disappears behind the almond. Juniper is the point.
A few good questions.
What is orgeat?
An almond syrup with orange-flower water, the Mai Tai's sweetener. Buy a good one or make it from blanched almonds.
What does it taste like?
A Gimlet with marzipan and orange blossom in place of sugar — tart, nutty, floral, dry.
Was it really from the Army and Navy Club?
The attribution is traditional and unproven. Embury printed it without a source in 1948.
Can I add egg white?
Yes; it makes a silkier drink closer to a Clover Club in texture. The original has none.
Variations
- Gimlet — Gin, lime and sugar.
- Mai Tai — Rum, orgeat, curaçao and lime.
- Bee's Knees — Gin, lemon and honey.
- Gin Sour — Gin, lemon and sugar.
Where it comes from
c. 1940s · Washington, D.C. (attributed) · Army and Navy Club (attributed)
Contested. More than one origin is claimed for this drink. We show the competing accounts rather than pick one.
The Army and Navy first appears in David Embury’s The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks in 1948, as gin, lemon and orgeat; it is usually attributed to the Army and Navy Club in Washington, though no record connects it to the club. Embury’s version is heavy on gin and light on orgeat; modern bars have moved the orgeat up to a half-ounce and sometimes add a dash of bitters. The orgeat — almond syrup with orange-flower water — is what makes it: a gin sour with marzipan and blossom underneath, cousin to the Mai Tai and the Japanese Cocktail.
Sources
- David Embury, The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, 1948 (book)
- Ted Haigh, Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails, 2009 (book)
- Robert Simonson, A Proper Drink, 2016 (book)
Strength. About 1.49 US standard drinks at an estimated 21.8% ABV, estimated from the ingredients and technique, not measured. What that means.
A little character in every sip.
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