Army & Navy — tasting notes & food pairings

Army & Navy

The Army & Navy is a classic pre-Prohibition-era gin sour built on gin, fresh lemon juice and orgeat — the sweet almond syrup that gives the drink its distinctive nutty backbone. Shaken hard with ice and strained up into a coupe, it is tart, aromatic and subtly nutty, a crisp gin sour with an almond heart.

Sweet-tart22% ABV

Pale gold and cloudy, the Army & Navy smells of bright fresh lemon and sweet almond orgeat, with the dry pine and juniper of gin behind and a faint orange-flower lift from the syrup. On the palate it is a crisp, well-balanced sour — sharp lemon tartness up front, a rounding marzipan-like almond sweetness through the middle, and the citrus-peel and botanical dryness of the gin holding it together. An optional dash of Angostura adds a whisper of aromatic spice. The finish is tart, softly nutty and clean, at around 22 percent alcohol in the glass.