Drink for This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It
Folklore claims that during 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was determined that his team would win over a touring English side. To gain the upper hand, he hosted a lavish party on the eve of the match, where he served his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These were famously substantial four-finger measure whisky servings, traditionally poured from little finger to index finger. Unsurprisingly, the English players overindulged, leaving them extremely the worse for wear and, inevitably, vanquished the following day. Thus, the myth of the Patiala peg was born.
This Punjabi kind-of Old Fashioned cocktail takes its cue from Singh's beverage. In our establishment, we offer it from a custom-made five-litre bottle, but we've adapted the recipe to make it better suited for a home kitchen.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Produces 1 litre, to serve 10-12 portions.
What's Required
- 725g Scotch whisky blend
- 130g sugar syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A dash of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Instructions
Put everything in a sizeable jug. Add 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 about 90ml of the infused whisky into a old fashioned glass packed with ice (ideally one big block). Drink straight away. To honour tradition, you could pour it using your fingers instead.
