Cocktail This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg – How to Make It
Folklore has it that in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was adamant that his team would succeed over a touring English squad. To gain the upper hand, he threw a splendid party the night before the match, at which he served his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These are incredibly generous four-finger whisky pours, customarily measured from pinky to index finger. Unsurprisingly, the English players overindulged, leaving them terribly hungover and, consequently, vanquished the day after. And so, the legend of the Patiala peg originated.
This Punjabi kind-of Old Fashioned cocktail takes its cue from that original concoction. At the restaurant, we offer it from a custom-made large-format bottle, but we've adjusted the instructions to make it more suitable for a household setting.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Yields 1 litre, to serve 10-12 people.
What's Required
- 725g Scotch whisky blend
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A dash of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Instructions
Place all the ingredients in a sizeable jug. Pour in 130g water, agitate until fully incorporated, then transfer it in the fridge. You can store it for up to a few weeks.
For serving, dispense about 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a short glass containing ice (traditionally one big block). Enjoy promptly. For a traditional touch, you could use the four-finger measure instead.
