Drink of the Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It
Legend claims that in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was adamant that his cricket team would triumph over a touring English team. To secure an advantage, he organized a lavish party the night before the match, at which he offered his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These are famously large four-finger measure whisky servings, traditionally measured from little finger to forefinger. Unsurprisingly, the English players drank too much, resulting in them being very hungover and, inevitably, vanquished the day after. And so, the legend of the Patiala peg was born.
This Punjabi kind-of Old Fashioned cocktail takes its cue from Singh's beverage. At the restaurant, we present it from a bespoke five-litre bottle, but we've adapted the formula to make it easier for a domestic environment.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Makes 1 litre, to serve 10-12 portions.
Ingredients
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Preparation
Put all the ingredients in a large bottle. Add 130g water, stir until fully incorporated, then transfer it in the refrigerator. You can store it for up to three weeks.
To serve, pour about 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a short glass filled with ice (traditionally one big block). Serve straight away. To honour tradition, you could pour it using your fingers instead.
