Cocktail This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg – How to Make It
Legend claims that during 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was set that his cricket team would triumph over a visiting English squad. To secure an advantage, he hosted a grand party on the eve of the match, at which he offered his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These are famously generous four-finger measure whisky servings, historically poured from little finger to forefinger. Unsurprisingly, the English players partook excessively, leaving them very hungover and, consequently, beaten the following day. And so, the story of the Patiala peg originated.
This take on a kind-of Old Fashioned cocktail is inspired by Singh's concoction. At the restaurant, we offer it from a specially crafted large-format 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 people.
You Will Need
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A dash of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Instructions
Combine everything in a sizeable jug. Add 130g water, agitate thoroughly, then transfer it in the refrigerator. It can be stored for up to a few weeks.
When ready to drink, measure out roughly 90ml of the infused whisky into a short glass packed with ice (preferably one big block). Enjoy straight away. To honour tradition, you could use the four-finger measure instead.
