Cocktail of the Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg – Recipe
Tale suggests that back in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was adamant that his cricket team would triumph over a visiting English team. To gain the upper hand, he organized a grand party on the eve of the match, at which he offered his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These were incredibly substantial four-finger measure whisky servings, traditionally gauged from pinky to forefinger. Unsurprisingly, the English players partook excessively, leaving them extremely the worse for wear and, consequently, vanquished the next day. Thus, the legend of the Patiala peg originated.
This take on a kind-of old fashioned draws inspiration from the Maharaja's drink. Here, we present it from a specially crafted large-format bottle, but we've adapted the instructions to make it easier for a home setting.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Makes 1 litre, to serve 10-12 people.
What's Required
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Preparation
Put all the ingredients in a large bottle. Pour in 130g water, stir thoroughly, then transfer it in the fridge. It will now keep for as long as a few weeks.
For serving, pour about 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a old fashioned glass filled with ice (ideally one large cube). Serve immediately. For a traditional touch, you could use the four-finger measure as they did.
