Drink This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It
Folklore has it that back in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was determined that his cricket team would triumph over a touring English team. For a competitive edge, he threw a splendid party on the eve of the match, at which he served his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These are incredibly large four-finger measure whisky pours, historically measured from pinky to index finger. As expected, the English players drank too much, resulting in them being terribly hungover and, inevitably, vanquished the day after. And so, the myth of the Patiala peg was born.
This take on a variation of Old Fashioned cocktail is inspired by Singh's concoction. At the restaurant, we present it from a bespoke five-litre bottle, but we've adapted the instructions to make it better suited for a domestic setting.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Yields 1 litre, to serve 10-12 people.
You Will Need
- 725g Scotch whisky blend
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Instructions
Combine all the ingredients in a large bottle. Pour in 130g water, mix to combine, then transfer it in the refrigerator. It will now keep for about three weeks.
To serve, pour approximately 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a old fashioned glass filled with ice (preferably one large cube). Drink immediately. To honour tradition, you could pour it using your fingers as they did.
