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"The Army & Navy is a classic drink, and whilst its military connections have never been confirmed it certainly has the poise and respectability of a decorated officer.."

How to make ...

Army and Navy

This classic gin-sour style cocktail features the addition of orgeat, an almond based syrup, to give this drink a sweeter, more rich and nutty flavour than its sharper cousins.

Method

Chill a martini glass in the freezer, or fill it with ice.

Take your Boston glass or small tin and, using your jigger to measure, add the gin and orgeat to the shaker.

Using your Mexican elbow and your jigger to measure, squeeze 25ml of lime juice and add to the shaker.

Fill your shaker with cubed ice and seal with your Boston tin or lid. Shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds or until your tin is very cold.

Remove your glass from the freezer, or empty ice if necessary.

Using your Hawthorne strainer and your fine strainer, double strain the cocktail into your chilled martini glass.

Garnish using a lime wheel, with a slit cut into it so it sits on the edge of the glass.

Serve and enjoy!

History

The Army & Navy is a fantastic introduction to the grand old gin sour category of cocktails, replacing simple syrup with orgeat —an almond and orange water flavoured sugar syrup. Whilst not boasting a long list of ingredients, it remains a complex, sophisticated drink, like all the best classics. Floral, citrusy and a little nutty from the orgeat, despite its simple appearance, the Army & Navy has built up a cult following.

The cocktail appears in David A Embury’s 1948 book ‘The Fine Art of Mixing Cocktails’. The original recipe has transformed somewhat to suit modern tastes, with Embury himself calling the original 8:4:4 ratio ‘terrible’.

The cocktail appears in David A Embury’s 1948 book, The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks. The original recipe has changed to suit modern tastes, with Embury himself calling the original 8:4:4 ratio ‘terrible’.

Allergens
No common allergens to be found, although, since every body is different, we advise you check out this recipe's ingredients list just to be sure!
Ingredients

50ml Gin

25ml Lime Juice

12.5ml Orgeat

Lime Wheel to Garnish

Times:

Prep: 2 Minutes

Make: 30 Seconds

Total: 2 Minutes and 30 Seconds

Calories:

166 Calories

Servings:

Serves 1

Method

Chill a martini glass in the freezer, or fill it with ice.

Take your Boston glass or small tin and, using your jigger to measure, add the gin and orgeat to the shaker.

Using your Mexican elbow and your jigger to measure, squeeze 25ml of lime juice and add to the shaker.

Fill your shaker with cubed ice and seal with your Boston tin or lid. Shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds or until your tin is very cold.

Remove your glass from the freezer, or empty ice if necessary.

Using your Hawthorne strainer and your fine strainer, double strain the cocktail into your chilled martini glass.

Garnish using a lime wheel, with a slit cut into it so it sits on the edge of the glass.

Serve and enjoy!

History

The Army & Navy is a fantastic introduction to the grand old gin sour category of cocktails, replacing simple syrup with orgeat —an almond and orange water flavoured sugar syrup. Whilst not boasting a long list of ingredients, it remains a complex, sophisticated drink, like all the best classics. Floral, citrusy and a little nutty from the orgeat, despite its simple appearance, the Army & Navy has built up a cult following.

The cocktail appears in David A Embury’s 1948 book ‘The Fine Art of Mixing Cocktails’. The original recipe has transformed somewhat to suit modern tastes, with Embury himself calling the original 8:4:4 ratio ‘terrible’.

The cocktail appears in David A Embury’s 1948 book, The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks. The original recipe has changed to suit modern tastes, with Embury himself calling the original 8:4:4 ratio ‘terrible’.

Allergens
No common allergens to be found, although, since every body is different, we advise you check out this recipe's ingredients list just to be sure!
Recommended

The Army & Navy is a classic drink, and whilst its military connections have never been confirmed it certainly has the poise and respectability of a decorated officer.

For those planning a gin-based menu the Army & Navy could be a great addition to your bar hire.

This cocktail has a sweet and nutty flavour and is a great accompaniment to more sharp-tasting gin sours. The almond syrup does mean, however, that this cocktail isn’t suitable for those who suffer from a nut allergy, if you’re considering this when planning your bar hire be sure to let your event organiser know, they can provide you with a full list of allergens as well as informing your bartenders so they can accommodate any allergies.

If you’re eager to feature some similar gin-sour style drinks or nut-free options, another delicious and classic gin sour is the South Side, this drink combines the classic gin, citrus and sugar mixture with the herbaceous freshness of mint, it can be served short like the Army & Navy or long, topped with soda, as a South Side fizz, for those wanting a longer, lower ABV option.

The Army & Navy is a fantastic gin drink, and the secret ingredient, orgeat, is a delicious sweetener for a range of cocktails, another famous drink featuring the almond-flavoured syrup is the Mai Tai, a tiki-style mixture of rum, lime orange and orgeat, served long over crushed ice. This would be a great way to introduce some tropical flavour to your mobile bar hire.

If you’re interested in featuring the Army & Navy on your cocktail menu and want to know more about what drinks could be served alongside it, be sure to speak to your event organiser about your options, or check out some other gin-based, almond flavoured and sour style cocktails from our list.

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