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

Tale claims that back in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was determined that his cricket team would triumph over a visiting English squad. For a competitive edge, he organized a splendid party on the eve of the match, at which he presented his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These were notoriously generous four-finger measure whisky servings, customarily poured from little finger to index finger. As expected, the English players partook excessively, leaving them extremely hungover and, consequently, defeated the following day. Thus, the legend of the Patiala peg originated.

This take on a variation of Old Fashioned cocktail is inspired by the Maharaja's beverage. Here, we offer it from a specially crafted five-litre bottle, but we've modified the instructions to make it easier for a domestic kitchen.

The Patiala Peg Recipe

Produces 1 litre, serving 10-12 drinks.

Ingredients

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

Preparation

Put everything in a sizeable jug. Include 130g water, stir thoroughly, then put it in the fridge. It will now keep for about 21 days.

When ready to drink, dispense approximately 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a short glass packed with ice (traditionally one big block). Serve immediately. To honour tradition, you could measure it in by hand for authenticity.