Cocktail of the Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg – How to Make It
Folklore suggests that back in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was set that his cricket team would win over a touring English side. For a competitive edge, he organized a grand party on the eve of the match, where he presented his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These were incredibly generous four-finger measure whisky servings, historically poured from little finger to forefinger. Predictably, the English players partook excessively, resulting in them being very hungover and, consequently, defeated the next day. In this way, the story of the Patiala peg originated.
This inspired kind-of Old Fashioned cocktail takes its cue from that original drink. In our establishment, we present it from a bespoke five-litre bottle, but we've adjusted the instructions to make it better suited for a household kitchen.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Yields 1 litre, to serve 10-12 portions.
You Will Need
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A dash of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Method
Put all the ingredients in a big container. Include 130g water, stir thoroughly, then transfer it in the fridge. It will now keep for up to 21 days.
When ready to drink, measure out about 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a rocks glass filled with ice (ideally one large cube). Serve straight away. For a traditional touch, you could use the four-finger measure for authenticity.
