Cocktail of the Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – Recipe
Legend suggests that in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was adamant that his team would succeed over a touring English squad. To secure an advantage, he hosted a grand party on the eve of the match, at which he presented his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These are notoriously generous four-finger whisky pours, traditionally poured from pinky to index finger. As expected, the English players overindulged, resulting in them being very hungover and, consequently, beaten the following day. In this way, the story of the Patiala peg originated.
This take on a variation of old fashioned takes its cue from the Maharaja's concoction. At the restaurant, we offer it from a specially crafted large-format bottle, but we've adapted the formula to make it easier for a household kitchen.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Yields 1 litre, to serve 10-12 people.
Ingredients
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g sugar syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Preparation
Put all the ingredients in a big container. Include 130g water, agitate until fully incorporated, then transfer it in the refrigerator. It will now keep for up to 21 days.
To serve, pour approximately 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a short glass packed with ice (preferably one large cube). Drink straight away. For a traditional touch, you could pour it using your fingers as they did.
