Cocktail of the Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It

Legend has it that back in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was set that his team would win over a touring English squad. To secure an advantage, he threw a lavish party the night before the match, at which he presented his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These were incredibly large four-finger whisky servings, historically poured from pinky to index finger. Predictably, the English players partook excessively, resulting in them being extremely hungover and, inevitably, beaten the next day. In this way, the story of the Patiala peg originated.

This Punjabi spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail is inspired by Singh's concoction. At the restaurant, we present it from a custom-made large-format bottle, but we've adjusted the formula to make it better suited for a domestic setting.

The Patiala Peg Recipe

Produces 1 litre, enough for 10-12 people.

You Will Need

• 725g blended Scotch
• 130g sugar syrup
• 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
• 1g orange bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
• A small pinch of salt
• 2g xanthan gum

Method

Place all the ingredients in a sizeable jug. Add 130g water, stir until fully incorporated, then place it in the refrigerator. You can store it for as long as a few weeks.

To serve, pour approximately 90ml of the infused whisky into a rocks glass filled with ice (preferably one large cube). Serve immediately. For a traditional touch, you could use the four-finger measure for authenticity.