Cocktail for This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg – How to Make It

Folklore claims that back in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was determined that his team would succeed over a visiting English side. To gain the upper hand, he threw a lavish party on the eve of the match, where he offered his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These were notoriously large four-finger measure whisky pours, traditionally poured from pinky to index finger. Unsurprisingly, the English players overindulged, leaving them very the worse for wear and, consequently, vanquished the following day. In this way, the story of the Patiala peg originated.

This Punjabi variation of Old Fashioned cocktail draws inspiration from Singh's beverage. At the restaurant, we offer it from a bespoke five-litre bottle, but we've adjusted the instructions to make it easier for a household kitchen.

The Patiala Peg Recipe

Makes 1 litre, to serve 10-12 drinks.

What's Required

• 725g blended scotch whisky
• 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
• 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
• 1g orange-flavoured bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
• A pinch of salt
• 2g xanthan gum

Method

Place all the ingredients in a large bottle. Pour in 130g water, stir thoroughly, then transfer it in the refrigerator. You can store it for as long as a few weeks.

When ready to drink, dispense roughly 90ml of the infused whisky into a old fashioned glass packed with ice (traditionally one big block). Drink promptly. If you're feeling traditional, you could use the four-finger measure for authenticity.