Cocktail of the Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – Recipe
Folklore claims that in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was determined that his team would win over a touring English side. For a competitive edge, he hosted a lavish party on the eve of the match, where he served his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These are notoriously generous four-finger measure whisky servings, customarily poured from little finger to index finger. Predictably, the English players partook excessively, resulting in them being terribly the worse for wear and, inevitably, defeated the next day. Thus, the story of the Patiala peg was born.
This inspired kind-of Old Fashioned cocktail is inspired by that original beverage. In our establishment, we present it from a specially crafted five-litre bottle, but we've modified the formula to make it better suited for a domestic setting.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Produces 1 litre, serving 10-12 drinks.
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 pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Preparation
Put all the ingredients in a sizeable jug. Pour in 130g water, mix until fully incorporated, then transfer it in the fridge. It can be stored for up to a few weeks.
For serving, pour about 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a rocks glass filled with ice (ideally one big block). Enjoy immediately. To honour tradition, you could use the four-finger measure for authenticity.
