Updated on: 6/3/2025
The Pegu Club’s Influence on the Old Cuban Cocktail
Few modern bars have shaped cocktail culture as distinctly as New York City’s Pegu Club. Opened in 2005 by the visionary Audrey Saunders, this Soho establishment wasn’t just named after a classic gin drink. It became the birthplace, stage, and classroom for a new generation of cocktails—including the celebrated Old Cuban, which grew from obscure curiosity to international favorite in their hands.
How the Pegu Club Revived Classic Cocktails
Pegu Club made its mark by reviving lost techniques and honoring precise recipes. Rather than focus on syrupy concoctions, Saunders and her team studied the DNA of historic drinks: exact ratios, balance, fresh citrus, high-quality spirits, and the science behind a proper shake or stir. This wasn’t just nostalgia; it was a quest to bring pre-Prohibition standards back to every glass.
Alongside iconic classics like the Gin & Tonic and its eponymous Pegu Club cocktail, the bar’s staff developed—and popularized—a wave of new drinks rooted in classic structure but with a modern twist. This philosophy led directly to the Old Cuban.
The Origin and Rise of the Old Cuban
The Old Cuban wasn’t invented in Havana, nor by Caribbean bartenders. It was the brainchild of Audrey Saunders herself, crafted in the early 2000s. Inspired by the structure of a French 75 and the Mojito, her recipe combined aged rum, mint, aromatic bitters, sugar, and sparkling wine—a blend of the Caribbean and classic European technique.
- Aged rum replaces gin (Mojito influence with an Old-World spirit)
- Bitters add complexity (a nod to both classic and tropical drinks)
- Dry sparkling wine for effervescence (echoes the French 75)
- Fresh mint and lime lift the profile, resisting syrupy sweetness
Initially, the Old Cuban was a house favorite—one codified, methodical, and precise in execution. Pegu Club’s focus on technique turned this recipe into a global standard, with bartenders around the world adopting the drink and its balanced approach.
Pegu Club Old Cuban Recipe (Direct from the Source)
- 45 ml aged rum (preferably Cuban-style or light-bodied, for refined balance)
- 22.5 ml fresh lime juice
- 30 ml simple syrup (1:1 sugar and water)
- 2 ml Angostura bitters (2 dashes)
- 6–8 fresh mint leaves
- 60 ml chilled dry sparkling wine (Brut Champagne or Cava)
- Fresh mint sprig, for garnish
- Add mint leaves to a shaker; gently press with syrup and fresh lime to release the aromatics.
- Add aged rum and Angostura bitters; fill shaker with ice.
- Shake briskly for about 12 seconds to chill and dilute.
- Double strain into a chilled coupe glass.
- Top with 60 ml sparkling wine, gently stirring to combine.
- Garnish with a mint sprig.
Other Iconic Cocktails from the Pegu Club
Beyond the Old Cuban, the Pegu Club is known for drinks that are now staples in the best bars and homes. Each showcases the bar's hallmark: balance, nuance, and the clever use of bitter or citrus notes. Consider adding these originals to your home repertoire:
- Gin-Gin Mule – A sharp, spicy upgrade to the Moscow Mule, blending gin, ginger beer, mint, and fresh lime.
- Little Italy – A Manhattan riff; rye whiskey, Cynar, and sweet vermouth for a bittersweet twist.
- Earl Grey MarTEAni – Gin, lemon, egg white, sugar, and house-infused Earl Grey tea for a floral, velvety cocktail.
Pegu Club’s spirit endures, not only in these recipes but in the approach behind every pour: curiosity, great ingredients, and exacting care. The Old Cuban is more than a drink—it’s a flavor time capsule for anyone who loves a good story in a glass.