Commodore No. 3

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (49 ratings)

Serve in a Nick & Nora glass

Ingredients:
1 23 oz Straight rye whiskey (100 proof /50% alc./vol.)
12 oz Lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
13 oz Monin Pure Cane Syrup (65.0°brix, equivalent to 2:1 rich syrup)
2 dash Orange Bitters by Angostura
× 1 1 serving
Read about cocktail measures and measuring

How to make:

  1. Select and pre-chill a Nick & Nora glass.
  2. Prepare garnish of one-third lemon slice wheel 'fan' on rim.
  3. SHAKE all ingredients with ice.
  4. FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol
Medium
Boozy
Strength 7/10
Sweet
Medium
Dry/sour
Sweet to sour 7/10

Review:

A short, sharp, pleasing rye whiskey sour.

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History:

We have the Commodore No. 1 and No. 2 from Albert S. Crockett's 1931 Old Waldorf Bar Daysbut as David A. Embury says in his 1948 The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, "Another version of the Commodore calls for whisky instead of rum, omits the egg white, and uses orange bitters in place of the grenadine. Obviously, the two Commodores command two different fleets."

Embury is perhaps referring to this "Commodore Cocktail" which appears in Harry McElhone's 1922 Harry's ABC of Mixing Cocktails and Harry Craddock's 1930 The Savoy Cocktail Book.

Commodore Cocktail.
1 teaspoonful Gomme Syrup, 2 dashes Orange Bitters, Juice of half a Lime, glass of Rye Whisky.
Recipe by Phil Gross, Cincinnati, O.

Harry McElhone, 1922

COMMODORE COCKTAIL.
1 Teaspoon Syrup
2 Dashes Orange Bitters
The Juice of ½ Lime or ¼ Lemon
1 Glass Canadian Club Whiskey
Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

Harry Craddock, 1930

Nutrition:

One serving of Commodore No. 3 contains 146 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1.3 standard drinks
  • 24.52% alc./vol. (24.52° proof)
  • 18.5 grams of pure alcohol

Difford’s Guide remains free-to-use thanks to the support of the brands in green above. Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

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Myxo Gastrid’s Avatar Myxo Gastrid
4th August 2023 at 21:43
Made mine with some Canadian rye and mugolio/pinecone syrup and it was incredible. Would be nice stretched over some soda also, probably...
Frédéric Boulais’ Avatar Frédéric Boulais
17th July 2023 at 16:53
Great, simple, refreshing cocktail with not too much ingredients. Perfect for a hot summer day or if you want a softer version of a whisky sour.
John Hinojos’ Avatar John Hinojos
3rd July 2023 at 00:52
Great cocktail. The rye is central, so it must be of perfect flavour. The lemon adds a nice citrus touch.