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

Legend claims that back in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was set that his team would triumph over a visiting English team. To secure an advantage, he hosted a grand party on the eve of the match, at which he served his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These were famously generous four-finger measure whisky servings, historically poured from pinky to forefinger. Predictably, the English players drank too much, leaving them very the worse for wear and, inevitably, vanquished the day after. And so, the story of the Patiala peg originated.

This take on a spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail draws inspiration from the Maharaja's beverage. At the restaurant, we present it from a specially crafted large-format bottle, but we've adapted the recipe to make it more suitable for a household setting.

The Patiala Peg Recipe

Produces 1 litre, serving 10-12 portions.

Ingredients

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

Preparation

Place everything in a sizeable jug. Add 130g water, mix to combine, then put it in the refrigerator. You can store it for about a few weeks.

For serving, dispense about 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a old fashioned glass containing ice (traditionally one large cube). Enjoy promptly. For a traditional touch, you could measure it in by hand for authenticity.