Drink of the Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It
Folklore has it that during 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was determined that his team would win over a touring English team. For a competitive edge, he threw a grand party the night before the match, where he offered his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These were famously substantial four-finger measure whisky servings, customarily poured from pinky to forefinger. Predictably, the English players partook excessively, resulting in them being very hungover and, inevitably, beaten the day after. And so, the legend of the Patiala peg was born.
This inspired kind-of Old Fashioned cocktail draws inspiration from Singh's concoction. At the restaurant, we serve it from a custom-made large-format bottle, but we've adapted the formula to make it more suitable for a home kitchen.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Makes 1 litre, to serve 10-12 people.
What's Required
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g sugar syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Preparation
Combine all the ingredients in a large bottle. Add 130g water, stir thoroughly, then place it in the fridge. It will now keep for about three weeks.
To serve, pour roughly 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a old fashioned glass filled with ice (ideally one big block). Drink immediately. If you're feeling traditional, you could measure it in by hand as they did.
