Drink for This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It
Folklore suggests that back in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was determined that his team would succeed over a touring English team. For a competitive edge, he threw a grand party the night before the match, at which he presented his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These are famously substantial four-finger measure whisky servings, historically gauged from little finger to forefinger. Unsurprisingly, the English players partook excessively, leaving them very the worse for wear and, inevitably, beaten the following day. And so, the myth of the Patiala peg originated.
This Punjabi kind-of Old Fashioned cocktail draws inspiration from the Maharaja's concoction. Here, we serve it from a custom-made large-format bottle, but we've adjusted the recipe to make it better suited for a household setting.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Yields 1 litre, to serve 10-12 portions.
You Will Need
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g sugar syrup
- 6g Angostura bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Preparation
Combine all the ingredients in a big container. Add 130g water, stir to combine, then place it in the fridge. It can be stored for up to a few weeks.
For serving, pour roughly 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a short glass filled with ice (traditionally one large cube). Serve promptly. To honour tradition, you could pour it using your fingers instead.
