Name: Wardroom
Total time: 3 min
Cuisine: Cocktail
Ingredients: 30 ml Aged rum (6-10yr); 30 ml Cognac (brandy); 30 ml Tawny port; 5 ml Maraschino liqueur; 1 dash Aromatic bitters

Wardroom
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Glass:

Photographed in an UB Retro Coupe 1920 7.75oz

Ingredients:
1 oz	Caribbean blended rum aged 6-10 years
1 oz	Cognac (brandy)
1 oz	Cockburn's Tawny Eyes Port
¹⁄₆ oz	Luxardo Maraschino liqueur
1 dash	Angostura Aromatic Bitters

Read about cocktail measures and measuring

Prepare:

Select and pre-chill a COUPE GLASS.
Prepare garnish of Luxardo Maraschino Cherry.

How to make:

STIR all ingredients with ice.
FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.

Garnish:

Garnish with maraschino cherry.

Allergens:

Recipe contains the following allergens:

Tawny port - Sulphur Dioxide/Sulphites

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol

Medium

Boozy

Sweet

Medium

Dry/sour

More cocktails with similar strength and taste profile

Review:

The original recipe calls for a smaller 22.5ml (¾oz) measure of tawny port (rather than equal parts of the three main ingredients), which produces a potent (pleasingly so) late-night sipping cocktail that's rendered less volatile by serving on the rocks. However, as others have adopted this cocktail, it has been mellowed by upping the port to an equal measure to the rum and brandy, thus becoming Sweet Manhattan-like. Both versions, and indeed numerous others produced by mismeasuring, are equally delicious. That's what makes this well-named cocktail a contender for Contemporary Classic status.

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History:

Adapted from a recipe created in 2025 by J. E. Clapham of Clapham Cocktails, who says, "The Wardroom features port, cognac, and rum, the three favourite libations of the British Naval officer."

The wardroom is the officers' mess cabin onboard a Navy ship and is reserved for those above the rank of midshipman. This serves as both the officers' dining room and a recreation area. On British Royal Navy ships, it is common for the Wardroom to have a bar stocked with alcoholic drinks.

More cocktails by J. E. Clapham of Clapham Cocktails

Nutrition:

One serving of Wardroom contains 212 calories

Alcohol content:

1.8 standard drinks
25.97% alc./vol. (51.95° proof)
24.8 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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Showing 10 of 11 comments for Wardroom.
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Mookie

6th February at 03:21

I dialed the port back just a little, used Appleton 8 for the rum, and poured it over a big cube. delightful!

Matt

1st February at 00:47

A decent cocktail - but I think it is a little tilted towards the cognac (not a spirit I favor). The fruit of the cognac and the maraschino are very nice, but they erase the port, and the rum notes are in the distant background.

James Kittock

19th January at 04:37

How can this have comments dating back to 2021 of it was created on 2025?

Caspian Berggren

1st December 2024 at 15:55

I do prefer Anders Erickson's recipe where he's upping the port. I still feel, at 3cl, that the port is a bit overpowered by the other spirits (but that might be because I love port).

Simon Difford

4th December 2024 at 21:27

I like both versions depending on mood and time of night, but in equal parts, the Wardroom has the potential to be a Contemporary Classic; hence, this is the formula I've adopted.

Dan Hunter

30th November 2024 at 22:25

Anders made me drink this!

Sharon Kulvinskas

24th December 2022 at 21:51

I had everything but a tawny port, poured it over two ice cubes in a 4oz mason jar. It was still delicious!

Dirk Bunting

23rd August 2022 at 01:43

Very spirit forward but nice when you’re in need of such a thing.

Eduar5 Bellini

14th February 2022 at 19:58

I agree. An amazing drink, but you do have to use decent port. Depends on premium ingredients.

Nathalie O'Flynn

12th February 2022 at 20:30

Sipping this right now, this is the best new cocktail I have tried in many months, this is absolutely amazing

[deleted user]

12th February 2022 at 21:44

Thanks for the tip Nathalie, have just asked Simon to make me one and it’s delicious indeed

Florian Ruf

7th October 2021 at 20:05

For my taste aged rum and cognac are too close, the port and the maraschino do not really shine. On the rocks gives a some lighter impression, but although there is not much more (ore less) alcohol than in other cocktails it feels too heavy.