Army & British Navy

Now, as much as we love it, we don’t generally consider the classic gin-based Army & Navy to be a tiki cocktail. But the delicious drink provides a great template to add a tiki twist to. We’ve dubbed this cocktail the Army & British Navy and it uses Tanquery Rangpur gin and Pusser’s British Navy Rum. Those two spirits combine well with lemon, lime, orgeat and several dashes of Bitter Truth Creole Bitters to create a drink that is rich, refreshing and surprisingly complex.

We liked the Tanqueray Rangpur in this mix because that gin is flavored with zesty Rangpur limes, so the citrus flavor really comes through and blends nicely with the citrus in the cocktail. If you can’t find it, pick another gin with strong lime notes to get a similar result. Pusser’s adds a dose of history, along with toffee and vanilla notes, while the bitters bring anise, spice and a gorgeous red color. We like this served up, but feel free to serve it over crushed ice if you want to make it fill up a favorite tiki mug because it is wonderful when served that way, as well.

Army & British Navy
1 oz Tanqueray Rangpur gin
1 oz Pusser’s Rum
1/2 oz lemon juice
1/2 oz lime juice
3/4 oz orgeat (pref. Giffard)
1/4 oz simple syrup
3-4 dashes Bitter Truth Creole Bitters

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker or mixing glass and fill with ice. Shake vigorously until cold, then strain into a sour glass and garnish with a lemon twist.