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Cocktail History
The Pegu Club is a classic cocktail that was created in the 1920s at a navy officers’ club in Rangoon, Burma. It is traditionally made with gin, citrus, and bitters, and it became popular worldwide when expats visited the club and brought the recipe back home. By 1948, Burma had become an independent country, and the drink had all but faded from memory until Audrey Saunders, owner of the former gin-focused bar in New York City, revived it in 2005 and made it fairly popular in the United States again.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Gin: This is a spirit made with juniper berries, botanicals, and alcohol. We used Prairie Organic Spirits Navy Strength Gin because it has a high alcohol content and features notes of lemon zest, angelica root, and blended spices. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Dry London Spirit in place of the gin.
Orange Curaçao: This is liqueur made with oranges, sugar, and brandy or rum. We used Grand Marnier because it has a rich Cognac base with notes of bitter orange, hazelnut, and toffee. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Monin Non-Alcoholic Triple Sec Syrup in place of the liqueur.
Lime Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lime. We used freshly squeezed lime juice.
Angostura Aromatic Bitters: This is a spirit made with botanicals, herbs, water, and a neutral grain spirit. We used Angostura Aromatic Bitters because they’re the go-to aromatic bitters on the market. For a mocktail version of this drink, try All The Bitter Alcohol-Free Aromatic Bitters in place of the bitters.
Orange Bitters: This is a spirit made with oranges, botanicals, herbs, and alcohol. We used Scrappy’s Bitters Orange Bitters because they offer the classic taste of citrus-flavored bitters. For a mocktail version of this drink, try All The Bitter Non-Alcoholic Orange Bitters in place of the bitters.
Lime Twist: This is the peel of a lime that has been twisted into a corkscrew shape.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. We used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. We used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. We used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. We used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.
Peeler: This is used to remove the garnish peel from the citrus. We used the OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Peeler Set.
Tasting Notes
The Pegu Club features aromas of gin and citrus and the taste of strong gin botanicals accented by the lime’s sourness and the bitters’ spice on the swallow.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: If you’re in the mood to get three sheets to the wind, this cocktail will certainly get you there! While its taste is quite gin-forward (and by gin-forward we mean it’s, as Alex’s grandmothers would say, like “drinking a spruce tree”), the Pegu Club has a hint of bitterness that makes it flavorful and very easy to sip. Overall, we both really liked this recipe!
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Art of Vintage Cocktails by Stephanie Rosenbaum.
Add gin, orange curaçao, lime juice, aromatic bitters, orange bitters, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with lime twist.
Ingredients
Directions
Add gin, orange curaçao, lime juice, aromatic bitters, orange bitters, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with lime twist.
Make It a Mocktail: Use Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Dry London Spirit in place of the gin, Monin Non-Alcoholic Triple Sec Syrup in place of the liqueur, All The Bitter Alcohol-Free Aromatic Bitters in place of the aromatic bitters, and All The Bitter Non-Alcoholic Orange Bitters in place of the bitters to try a booze-free version of this drink.
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More Classic Cocktails
If you like this classic cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
Manhattan: A whiskey cocktail made with sweet vermouth, orange bitters, an orange peels, and a cherry
Vesper Martini: A gin and vodka cocktail made with Lillet Blanc and a lemon twist
Martinez: A gin cocktail made with sweet vermouth, cherry liqueur, and orange bitters
Brooklyn: A rye cocktail made with dry vermouth, maraschino liqueur, and Amer Picon
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