Cocktail for This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – Recipe
Folklore has it that during 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was adamant that his cricket team would triumph over a touring English team. To gain the upper hand, he hosted a grand party on the eve of the match, at which he served his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These are notoriously substantial four-finger whisky servings, customarily measured from pinky to index finger. Predictably, the English players partook excessively, resulting in them being very hungover and, inevitably, defeated the day after. Thus, the story of the Patiala peg came to be.
This Punjabi variation of old fashioned draws inspiration from Singh's drink. In our establishment, we offer it from a specially crafted five-litre bottle, but we've adapted the formula to make it easier for a domestic environment.
Patiala Peg
Makes 1 litre, serving 10-12 drinks.
What's Required
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Instructions
Combine all the ingredients in a large bottle. Include 130g water, stir until fully incorporated, then place it in the fridge. It will now keep for about a few weeks.
When ready to drink, measure out approximately 90ml of the infused whisky into a short glass packed with ice (traditionally one big block). Enjoy promptly. If you're feeling traditional, you could measure it in by hand for authenticity.
