Cocktail of the Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg – How to Make It
Folklore has it that during 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was set that his team would triumph over a touring English side. To gain the upper hand, he threw a grand party the night before the match, where he served his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These were notoriously substantial four-finger measure whisky servings, customarily poured from little finger to forefinger. As expected, the English players drank too much, leaving them extremely the worse for wear and, inevitably, defeated the day after. And so, the story of the Patiala peg originated.
This Punjabi spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail is inspired by that original drink. In our establishment, we present it from a custom-made five-litre bottle, but we've adapted the recipe to make it more suitable for a domestic setting.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Yields 1 litre, enough for 10-12 people.
You Will Need
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1â…“ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (approximately â…• tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Instructions
Combine all the ingredients in a large bottle. Include 130g water, stir until fully incorporated, then place it in the refrigerator. It will now keep for as long as 21 days.
To serve, measure out approximately 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a short glass packed with ice (preferably one large cube). Drink straight away. If you're feeling traditional, you could pour it using your fingers instead.
