Cocktail for This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg – How to Make It
Folklore claims that in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was adamant that his team would triumph over a touring English team. To gain the upper hand, he hosted a grand party on the eve of the match, where he served his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These are famously generous four-finger whisky pours, historically measured from pinky to index finger. Predictably, the English players drank too much, leaving them extremely the worse for wear and, consequently, vanquished the following day. And so, the myth of the Patiala peg originated.
This take on a variation of old fashioned is inspired by that original drink. In our establishment, we offer it from a specially crafted five-litre bottle, but we've adapted the formula to make it more suitable for a home kitchen.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Yields 1 litre, enough for 10-12 portions.
What's Required
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A dash of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Preparation
Put all the ingredients in a big container. Include 130g water, agitate thoroughly, then transfer it in the fridge. It can be stored for as long as three weeks.
When ready to drink, measure out about 90ml of the infused whisky into a old fashioned glass filled with ice (preferably one big block). Enjoy straight away. For a traditional touch, you could use the four-finger measure instead.
