The original recipe for the Army & Navy cocktail was “a dreadful concoction”—at least according to the man who first bothered to put it in writing, David A. Embury. A harsh judgment, yet one that ultimately helped preserve the drink’s memory and opened the door to later adjustments that would turn it into a far more balanced cocktail.
The Story of the Army & Navy Cocktail
The Army & Navy dates back at least to the 1930s, a conclusion historians draw from its first known appearance in the Café Royal Cocktail Book, published in London in 1937 and compiled by bartender William J. Tarling.
In Tarling’s book, however, the Army & Navy appears only as a name among dozens of drinks whose existence is acknowledged but whose recipes are omitted for lack of space. This suggests that by the late 1930s the cocktail was known, though not considered important enough to merit a full entry.
More detailed information appears about a decade later in David A. Embury’s The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks (1948). Embury, known for his sharp opinions about cocktails, writes bluntly that “the original formula is, in my opinion, a horrible concoction.”
The issue, he argues, lies not in the ingredients—gin, lemon juice and orgeat—but in the proportions: 2:1:1. Prepared that way, the drink lacks balance. Using Embury’s preferred ratio of 8:2:1, however, the cocktail becomes far more drinkable and reveals its true nature: essentially a Gin Sour in which orgeat replaces simple syrup.
Why Is It Called Army & Navy?
Embury does not explain the circumstances under which the Army & Navy was created, and the origin of its name remains uncertain. Two main theories persist.
The first suggests that the drink was created in an American bar in London, its name referencing the annual Army–Navy football game between the United States Military Academy and the United States Naval Academy. More specifically, the teams involved are the Army Black Knights, representing West Point, and the Navy Midshipmen, representing the Naval Academy in Annapolis.
The second hypothesis points to The Army and Navy Club in Washington, D.C., a private club founded in 1885 (originally under the name United Service Club, and initially open only to officers who had served during wartime).
In the history of mixology, the club holds a certain importance: it is often credited as the first place in the United States to serve the Daiquiri, helping spread the drink throughout the country.
Even so, this connection does not conclusively prove that the Army & Navy cocktail originated at the club. The possibility of a London origin therefore remains open.
The Cocktail Recipe
In deference to history—with a capital H—the recipe below follows the version that David A. Embury famously described as dreadful. His recommended proportions (8:2:1) are widely appreciated today, though some bartenders prefer 8:3:2, while others lean toward 8:4:3.
Almost any style of gin can work, and the drink also lends itself to experimentation with orgeat, particularly homemade versions that adjust the levels of sugar and almond essence. Many bartenders also add one or two dashes of Angostura bitters.
Ingredients
• 60 ml gin
• 30 ml fresh lemon juice
• 30 ml orgeat
Method
Fill a shaker with cubed ice and add all ingredients. Shake well and strain into a coupe.
Garnish
According to David A. Embury, none is required. A lemon twist, however, works nicely.
Photo by Emanuel Florentin, location Bob The Other Side Milano – all rights reserved
