Cocktail of the Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – Recipe
Legend has it that back in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was set that his cricket team would triumph over a visiting English side. For a competitive edge, he organized a splendid party on the eve of the match, at which he presented his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These were notoriously generous four-finger whisky servings, customarily measured from pinky to index finger. Unsurprisingly, the English players drank too much, leaving them terribly the worse for wear and, inevitably, defeated the day after. In this way, the story of the Patiala peg originated.
This inspired spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail is inspired by the Maharaja's concoction. In our establishment, we serve it from a custom-made five-litre bottle, but we've adapted the instructions to make it more suitable for a home setting.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Yields 1 litre, enough for 10-12 portions.
What's Required
- 725g Scotch whisky blend
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A dash of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Instructions
Put all the ingredients in a large bottle. Pour in 130g water, agitate until fully incorporated, then place it in the refrigerator. It will now keep for as long as a few weeks.
When ready to drink, measure out about 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a rocks glass packed with ice (preferably one large cube). Enjoy straight away. To honour tradition, you could use the four-finger measure for authenticity.
