Cocktail This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It
Tale suggests that in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was set that his team would triumph over a visiting English squad. For a competitive edge, he hosted a grand party on the eve of the match, at which he served his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These are incredibly substantial four-finger whisky servings, customarily gauged from pinky to forefinger. Predictably, the English players partook excessively, leaving them terribly the worse for wear and, inevitably, defeated the next day. Thus, the legend of the Patiala peg originated.
This inspired spin on the old fashioned takes its cue from Singh's beverage. At the restaurant, we serve it from a custom-made large-format bottle, but we've adjusted the instructions to make it better suited for a domestic setting.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Yields 1 litre, serving 10-12 people.
You Will Need
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g sugar syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Method
Place all the ingredients in a large bottle. Include 130g water, mix to combine, then place it in the refrigerator. It will now keep for about three weeks.
When ready to drink, dispense about 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a old fashioned glass containing ice (traditionally one large cube). Drink straight away. To honour tradition, you could use the four-finger measure instead.
