Drink of the Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg – How to Make It
Folklore claims that in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was determined that his team would win over a visiting English side. To gain the upper hand, he threw a splendid party the night before the match, at which he served his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These are notoriously large four-finger whisky servings, traditionally poured from pinky to forefinger. Predictably, the English players drank too much, resulting in them being very the worse for wear and, inevitably, vanquished the next day. In this way, the legend of the Patiala peg was born.
This Punjabi variation of old fashioned draws inspiration from that original concoction. Here, we serve it from a custom-made large-format bottle, but we've adjusted the instructions to make it easier for a household setting.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Produces 1 litre, to serve 10-12 drinks.
What's Required
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Instructions
Put everything in a sizeable jug. Pour in 130g water, stir thoroughly, then put it in the refrigerator. It can be stored for about 21 days.
When ready to drink, pour about 90ml of the infused whisky into a old fashioned glass containing ice (traditionally one big block). Enjoy promptly. For a traditional touch, you could pour it using your fingers as they did.
