Drink This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – Recipe
Folklore suggests that in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was determined that his team would win over a touring English squad. To gain the upper hand, he organized a splendid party on the eve of the match, at which he served his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These were notoriously large four-finger measure whisky servings, traditionally measured from little finger to forefinger. Predictably, the English players overindulged, resulting in them being extremely the worse for wear and, inevitably, vanquished the day after. Thus, the story of the Patiala peg originated.
This take on a spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail is inspired by Singh's concoction. In our establishment, we present it from a custom-made large-format bottle, but we've adapted the formula to make it more suitable for a household kitchen.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Yields 1 litre, serving 10-12 people.
What's Required
- 725g Scotch whisky blend
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Instructions
Combine all the ingredients in a sizeable jug. Pour in 130g water, mix thoroughly, then transfer it in the refrigerator. You can store it for up to three weeks.
When ready to drink, dispense about 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a old fashioned glass filled with ice (traditionally one large cube). Enjoy straight away. If you're feeling traditional, you could pour it using your fingers instead.
