Drink This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – Recipe
Folklore has it that in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was determined that his cricket team would win over a visiting English side. For a competitive edge, he organized a grand party the night before the match, where he offered his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These were incredibly large four-finger measure whisky servings, historically gauged from little finger to index finger. Unsurprisingly, the English players partook excessively, leaving them very the worse for wear and, inevitably, defeated the following day. And so, the story of the Patiala peg was born.
This Punjabi variation of old fashioned takes its cue from that original drink. At the restaurant, we serve it from a bespoke five-litre bottle, but we've modified the formula to make it easier for a household kitchen.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Makes 1 litre, serving 10-12 portions.
Ingredients
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Instructions
Put all the ingredients in a sizeable jug. Pour in 130g water, mix to combine, then transfer it in the refrigerator. You can store it for about a few weeks.
When ready to drink, measure out roughly 90ml of the infused whisky into a short glass filled with ice (preferably one big block). Enjoy straight away. If you're feeling traditional, you could use the four-finger measure for authenticity.
