Cocktail This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It
Legend suggests that back in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was determined that his cricket team would triumph over a touring English side. To gain the upper hand, he hosted a splendid party the night before the match, at which he served his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These are incredibly generous four-finger measure whisky servings, customarily poured from little finger to forefinger. Unsurprisingly, the English players overindulged, resulting in them being very hungover and, consequently, vanquished the next day. Thus, the story of the Patiala peg originated.
This inspired spin on the old fashioned draws inspiration from Singh's drink. Here, we present it from a custom-made five-litre bottle, but we've modified the instructions to make it easier for a domestic setting.
Patiala Peg
Yields 1 litre, enough for 10-12 people.
What's Required
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A dash of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Preparation
Put everything in a sizeable jug. Add 130g water, agitate until fully incorporated, then place it in the refrigerator. You can store it for about 21 days.
To serve, dispense approximately 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a rocks glass filled with ice (traditionally one large cube). Drink immediately. To honour tradition, you could pour it using your fingers for authenticity.
