Drink This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It
Folklore has it that in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was determined that his cricket team would triumph over a visiting English squad. To secure an advantage, he organized a lavish party the night before the match, at which he presented his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These are incredibly substantial four-finger whisky servings, historically poured from pinky to forefinger. Predictably, the English players drank too much, leaving them terribly the worse for wear and, consequently, vanquished the following day. In this way, the story of the Patiala peg originated.
This take on a spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail draws inspiration from that original drink. At the restaurant, we offer it from a specially crafted large-format bottle, but we've adapted the instructions to make it easier for a home kitchen.
Patiala Peg
Makes 1 litre, enough for 10-12 people.
What's Required
- 725g Scotch whisky blend
- 130g sugar syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Instructions
Place all the ingredients in a large bottle. Add 130g water, stir until fully incorporated, then transfer it in the refrigerator. It will now keep for as long as three weeks.
For serving, dispense roughly 90ml of the infused whisky into a rocks glass filled with ice (preferably one large cube). Serve promptly. For a traditional touch, you could pour it using your fingers for authenticity.
