Cocktail for This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg – Recipe
Folklore claims that during 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was determined that his cricket team would win over a visiting English squad. For a competitive edge, he hosted a lavish party the night before the match, at which he offered his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These were notoriously generous four-finger whisky pours, historically poured from little finger to index finger. Predictably, the English players partook excessively, leaving them very the worse for wear and, consequently, defeated the following day. Thus, the legend of the Patiala peg originated.
This inspired kind-of Old Fashioned cocktail draws inspiration from Singh's beverage. At the restaurant, we offer it from a custom-made five-litre bottle, but we've adjusted the formula to make it easier for a domestic setting.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Makes 1 litre, serving 10-12 portions.
You Will Need
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g sugar syrup
- 6g Angostura bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Preparation
Combine everything in a sizeable jug. Add 130g water, stir thoroughly, then transfer it in the fridge. It can be stored for about three weeks.
For serving, pour approximately 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a rocks glass packed with ice (traditionally one big block). Serve straight away. For a traditional touch, you could pour it using your fingers as they did.
