Drink of the Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – Recipe
Legend claims that during 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was set that his team would succeed over a touring English squad. To gain the upper hand, he threw a grand party on the eve of the match, where he served his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These were notoriously large four-finger whisky pours, customarily poured from little finger to index finger. As expected, the English players overindulged, resulting in them being extremely hungover and, consequently, vanquished the following day. In this way, the legend of the Patiala peg came to be.
This Punjabi variation of old fashioned takes its cue from that original concoction. At the restaurant, we present it from a custom-made large-format bottle, but we've adapted the formula to make it more suitable for a domestic setting.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Yields 1 litre, to serve 10-12 drinks.
What's Required
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Preparation
Place all the ingredients in a big container. Pour in 130g water, stir to combine, then put it in the refrigerator. It will now keep for about 21 days.
To serve, pour approximately 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a rocks glass packed with ice (preferably one big block). Enjoy immediately. For a traditional touch, you could pour it using your fingers for authenticity.
