Cocktail of the Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg – How to Make It
Folklore suggests that in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was set that his cricket team would triumph over a touring English team. To gain the upper hand, he organized a splendid party on the eve of the match, where he presented his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These are incredibly large four-finger measure whisky servings, traditionally poured from pinky to forefinger. Predictably, the English players overindulged, leaving them extremely the worse for wear and, consequently, beaten the day after. Thus, the legend of the Patiala peg was born.
This inspired variation of Old Fashioned cocktail is inspired by Singh's concoction. In our establishment, we serve it from a specially crafted five-litre bottle, but we've adjusted the formula to make it easier for a household kitchen.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Yields 1 litre, to serve 10-12 drinks.
You Will Need
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Method
Place all the ingredients in a sizeable jug. Pour in 130g water, stir to combine, then place it in the fridge. It will now keep for as long as a few weeks.
When ready to drink, pour approximately 90ml of the infused whisky into a short glass containing ice (preferably one large cube). Drink promptly. To honour tradition, you could use the four-finger measure for authenticity.
