The Army & Navy cocktail, popular since its mid-century conception, captures the palate with its intriguing blend of gin, fresh lemon juice, orgeat, and bitters. This vibrant and fragrant concoction is essentially a twist on the ubiquitous Gin Sour, swapping the traditional simple syrup for the multifaceted, nut-based orgeat syrup usually found in tropical libations.

Some cocktail enthusiasts link the creation of the Army & Navy cocktail to the Army and Navy Club, an exclusive, members-only establishment based in Washington, D.C. This is supposedly the same venue where the Daiquiri made its American debut back in 1909. The club still serves its eponymous cocktail to this day but provides little detail about the drink’s backstory.

In 1937, the Café Royal Cocktail Book contained the earliest identified mention of the Army & Navy cocktail - but somewhat frustratingly, offered no recipe. The 1948 release of David A. Embury’s book, The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, was more helpful, providing the original formula as one part lemon juice, one part orgeat, and two parts gin.

Embury’s assessment of the original recipe appeared less than favorable. He described it as “horrible” and suggested a 1:2:8 formula that resulted in the substitution of sugar syrup for orgeat - a move that essentially transformed the drink into a Gin Sour. His variation, however, tends to yield a rather dry drink dominated by the spirit.

The quintessential Gin Sour embraces the traditional 2:1:1 sour ratio, with the option to incorporate egg white for added froth and texture. This creates a bright, balanced and botanical cocktail. The Army & Navy follows a similar structure, but the standout component is the sweet and creamy orgeat syrup, which replaces simple syrup.

Orgeat, an essential component in tropical classics such as the Mai Tai and Scorpion, lends a more complex sweetness than simple sugar syrup, enriching the cocktail with a marzipan-like flavor and a thicker consistency.

For the slightly less sweet version highlighted here, slightly less orgeat syrup is used than in the original recipe. A full ounce of fresh lemon juice counterbalances this sweetness, maintaining a true sour drink. You can try it with:

• 2 ounces of preferably London dry gin
• 1 ounce of freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3/4 ounce of orgeat
• 2 dashes of Angostura bitters Garnish it with a grapefruit twist after shaking well with ice and straining into a chilled coupe glass. Enjoy!