Drink This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It
Legend has it that back in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was determined that his team would triumph over a visiting English squad. For a competitive edge, he threw a splendid party the night before the match, at which he served his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These are incredibly large four-finger measure whisky pours, customarily measured from little finger to forefinger. As expected, the English players partook excessively, leaving them terribly the worse for wear and, inevitably, vanquished the next day. And so, the myth of the Patiala peg was born.
This Punjabi spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail draws inspiration from the Maharaja's beverage. At the restaurant, we serve it from a bespoke five-litre bottle, but we've adjusted the recipe to make it more suitable for a home setting.
Patiala Peg
Makes 1 litre, serving 10-12 portions.
You Will Need
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g sugar syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Instructions
Place everything in a big container. Add 130g water, stir until fully incorporated, then transfer it in the fridge. It will now keep for up to 21 days.
When ready to drink, measure out approximately 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a rocks glass filled with ice (preferably one large cube). Drink immediately. If you're feeling traditional, you could measure it in by hand as they did.
