Cocktail This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – Recipe
Legend has it that in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was determined that his team would triumph over a visiting English team. For a competitive edge, he organized a lavish party on the eve of the match, where he presented his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These were famously large four-finger measure whisky pours, historically gauged from little finger to forefinger. As expected, the English players partook excessively, resulting in them being very the worse for wear and, consequently, beaten the following day. In this way, the myth of the Patiala peg was born.
This inspired spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail takes its cue from the Maharaja's beverage. In our establishment, we serve it from a bespoke large-format bottle, but we've modified the formula to make it easier for a household environment.
Patiala Peg
Yields 1 litre, enough for 10-12 drinks.
Ingredients
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A dash of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Instructions
Place everything in a sizeable jug. Add 130g water, stir thoroughly, then transfer it in the refrigerator. You can store it for about a few weeks.
For serving, pour approximately 90ml of the infused whisky into a old fashioned glass packed with ice (ideally one large cube). Drink straight away. For a traditional touch, you could pour it using your fingers for authenticity.
