Drink for This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It
Folklore claims that in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was adamant that his cricket team would succeed over a touring English side. To gain the upper hand, he hosted a lavish party on the eve of the match, at which he presented his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These were famously large four-finger whisky servings, customarily gauged from little finger to forefinger. As expected, the English players drank too much, leaving them very hungover and, inevitably, beaten the following day. Thus, the story of the Patiala peg was born.
This take on a variation of Old Fashioned cocktail draws inspiration from that original concoction. At the restaurant, we present it from a custom-made five-litre bottle, but we've adapted the instructions to make it easier for a household environment.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Yields 1 litre, enough for 10-12 people.
Ingredients
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Preparation
Place everything in a big container. Pour in 130g water, mix to combine, then put it in the fridge. It can be stored for as long as a few weeks.
To serve, measure out approximately 90ml of the infused whisky into a old fashioned glass packed with ice (preferably one large cube). Serve promptly. To honour tradition, you could use the four-finger measure instead.
