Drink for This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – Recipe
Legend has it that during 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was set that his cricket team would win over a visiting English team. To gain the upper hand, he threw a splendid party the night before the match, at which he offered his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These are incredibly large four-finger measure whisky pours, customarily measured from pinky to index finger. Predictably, the English players overindulged, resulting in them being extremely hungover and, inevitably, beaten the next day. And so, the myth of the Patiala peg was born.
This inspired spin on the old fashioned draws inspiration from Singh's drink. At the restaurant, we present it from a specially crafted large-format bottle, but we've adapted the instructions to make it easier for a domestic environment.
Patiala Peg
Produces 1 litre, to serve 10-12 portions.
What's Required
- 725g Scotch whisky blend
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Method
Place everything in a sizeable jug. Pour in 130g water, agitate to combine, then transfer it in the refrigerator. It will now keep for up to three weeks.
When ready to drink, pour approximately 90ml of the infused whisky into a rocks glass packed with ice (ideally one big block). Enjoy straight away. If you're feeling traditional, you could pour it using your fingers instead.
