Cocktail for This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It
Legend suggests that in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was set that his team would succeed over a touring English side. For a competitive edge, he threw a grand party the night before the match, where he offered his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These are notoriously large four-finger whisky servings, historically measured from pinky to index finger. As expected, the English players partook excessively, resulting in them being terribly the worse for wear and, consequently, beaten the next day. Thus, the myth of the Patiala peg came to be.
This inspired spin on the old fashioned takes its cue from the Maharaja's beverage. Here, we serve it from a bespoke five-litre bottle, but we've adapted the formula to make it more suitable for a home setting.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Makes 1 litre, enough for 10-12 people.
You Will Need
- 725g Scotch whisky blend
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Method
Put everything in a sizeable jug. Add 130g water, mix thoroughly, then transfer it in the fridge. It will now keep for as long as a few weeks.
For serving, pour approximately 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a short glass packed with ice (ideally one big block). Serve immediately. For a traditional touch, you could measure it in by hand as they did.
