Cocktail for This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg – How to Make It
Tale suggests that during 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was adamant that his team would triumph over a visiting English team. To gain the upper hand, he hosted a lavish party on the eve of the match, where he served his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These were notoriously generous four-finger measure whisky servings, traditionally poured from pinky to index finger. As expected, the English players partook excessively, leaving them extremely the worse for wear and, consequently, beaten the next day. Thus, the myth of the Patiala peg was born.
This take on a spin on the old fashioned takes its cue from the Maharaja's drink. At the restaurant, we offer it from a specially crafted large-format bottle, but we've adjusted the recipe to make it better suited for a domestic environment.
Patiala Peg
Makes 1 litre, serving 10-12 people.
What's Required
- 725g Scotch whisky blend
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Instructions
Put all the ingredients in a large bottle. Include 130g water, mix to combine, then place it in the fridge. It will now keep for as long as 21 days.
When ready to drink, pour about 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a rocks glass filled with ice (preferably one large cube). Enjoy promptly. For a traditional touch, you could measure it in by hand instead.
