Cocktail of the Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg – How to Make It
Legend claims that back in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was set that his team would win over a visiting English side. For a competitive edge, he threw a lavish party on the eve of the match, where he presented his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These were incredibly substantial four-finger measure whisky pours, traditionally poured from little finger to forefinger. Predictably, the English players drank too much, leaving them extremely the worse for wear and, inevitably, beaten the following day. In this way, the legend of the Patiala peg originated.
This take on a kind-of Old Fashioned cocktail takes its cue from Singh's drink. At the restaurant, we offer it from a specially crafted five-litre bottle, but we've adapted the instructions to make it more suitable for a home kitchen.
Patiala Peg
Produces 1 litre, enough for 10-12 drinks.
You Will Need
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Preparation
Combine everything in a sizeable jug. Include 130g water, agitate thoroughly, then transfer it in the fridge. It will now keep for up to 21 days.
When ready to drink, dispense roughly 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a rocks glass filled with ice (traditionally one big block). Serve straight away. For a traditional touch, you could measure it in by hand instead.
