A Pegu Club combines gin, triple sec (I used Cointreau), lime juice, simple syrup, aromatic bitters and orange bitters. I got my recipe from David Lebovitz. The result is basically an alcoholic limeade - quite a nice thing. The syrup is optional and if we were to try it again, I might go without or at least less. I do enjoy a tart lime.
The drink is named for a club in Rangoon during the British colonial era. The Pegu is a river in Myanmar.
Vermouth Battles: Gambarelli & Davitto vs. Tribuno
Gambarelli & Davitto (G&D) is a sweet vermouth we have used fairly often. G&D also produces our currently favored dry vermouth. Like Tribuno, it is a New York-based company.
The Manhattan Test
My wife preferred the G&D, finding it more fruity. I preferred the Tribuno which definitely produced a sweeter drink. In G&D's favor, I would say that with less sugar, the other ingredients were more pronounced which is a good thing. However, a little bit of that wheaty aftertaste crept in with the G&D. It's not as pronounced as with the Martini & Rossi but it's there.
Decision: Split
Yes, in previous battles, I have favored my wife's choice in the name of the Customer Is Always Right principle. However, I'm not ready to concede in this case. It's not a deal-breaker but I want to get rid of that aftertaste if I can, frankly even if it means switching to dry vermouth. My wife said she would be happy with either of the current contestants and I probably would also but it's just too close to call. Price doesn't help either. The cost per volume comparison varies with size of the bottles. For now, I am willing to consider the two brands as...
Co-Champions: Gambarelli & Davitto and Tribuno
I like the connection to Rangoon
ReplyDeletewww.thepulpitandthepen.com
My Myanmar experience is awfully limited - of course, that's true for most of the world.
Delete