Cocktail for This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It
Legend claims that back in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was set that his cricket team would succeed over a visiting English team. For a competitive edge, he hosted a lavish party on the eve of the match, at which he presented his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These are famously large four-finger measure whisky servings, traditionally measured from pinky to forefinger. Unsurprisingly, the English players drank too much, leaving them extremely hungover and, inevitably, vanquished the day after. And so, the legend of the Patiala peg was born.
This Punjabi variation of old fashioned takes its cue from the Maharaja's beverage. At the restaurant, we serve it from a custom-made large-format bottle, but we've adjusted the instructions to make it more suitable for a household environment.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Yields 1 litre, serving 10-12 people.
What's Required
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Instructions
Combine all the ingredients in a sizeable jug. Pour in 130g water, mix until fully incorporated, then transfer it in the refrigerator. It can be stored for as long as a few weeks.
When ready to drink, dispense approximately 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a old fashioned glass packed with ice (ideally one large cube). Serve straight away. If you're feeling traditional, you could measure it in by hand as they did.
