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 visiting English team. To secure an advantage, he hosted a grand party on the eve of the match, at which he offered his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These were notoriously generous four-finger measure whisky pours, customarily measured from little finger to index finger. As expected, the English players partook excessively, leaving them extremely the worse for wear and, consequently, vanquished the following day. In this way, the myth of the Patiala peg came to be.
This inspired spin on the old fashioned is inspired by that original drink. At the restaurant, we present it from a custom-made five-litre bottle, but we've adapted the instructions to make it easier for a household setting.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Yields 1 litre, serving 10-12 people.
You Will Need
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Method
Combine everything in a sizeable jug. Include 130g water, agitate thoroughly, then place it in the fridge. It will now keep for up to three weeks.
For serving, measure out approximately 90ml of the infused whisky into a old fashioned glass filled with ice (traditionally one large cube). Drink immediately. If you're feeling traditional, you could use the four-finger measure for authenticity.
