Cocktail of the Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg – Recipe

Folklore has it that in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was determined that his team would triumph over a visiting English side. To gain the upper hand, he threw a splendid party the night before the match, where he served his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These are notoriously substantial four-finger measure whisky servings, customarily measured from pinky to index finger. As expected, the English players drank too much, leaving them very the worse for wear and, inevitably, beaten the day after. Thus, the legend of the Patiala peg originated.

This inspired kind-of old fashioned is inspired by that original beverage. In our establishment, we present it from a specially crafted large-format bottle, but we've modified the instructions to make it easier for a household kitchen.

Patiala Peg

Makes 1 litre, serving 10-12 people.

What's Required

  • 725g blended Scotch
  • 130g simple syrup
  • 6g Angostura bitters (about 1â…“ tsp)
  • 1g orange-flavoured bitters (approximately â…• tsp)
  • A small pinch of salt
  • 2g xanthan gum

Preparation

Put all the ingredients in a large bottle. Pour in 130g water, mix until fully incorporated, then transfer it in the fridge. It can be stored for about 21 days.

For serving, pour approximately 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a old fashioned glass filled with ice (ideally one large cube). Enjoy immediately. To honour tradition, you could measure it in by hand for authenticity.

Shannon Smith
Shannon Smith

Elara Vance is a tech writer and innovation strategist passionate about exploring disruptive ideas and future trends.