Cocktail This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It
Legend has it that during 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was determined that his team would triumph over a visiting English squad. To gain the upper hand, he threw a splendid party the night before the match, at which he offered his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These are incredibly large four-finger measure whisky pours, traditionally gauged from little finger to index finger. Predictably, the English players partook excessively, resulting in them being extremely hungover and, consequently, vanquished the day after. Thus, the story of the Patiala peg was born.
This inspired spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail draws inspiration from Singh's beverage. In our establishment, we offer it from a specially crafted five-litre bottle, but we've adapted the recipe to make it easier for a household environment.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Produces 1 litre, to serve 10-12 drinks.
Ingredients
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g sugar syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Instructions
Put all the ingredients in a large bottle. Include 130g water, agitate thoroughly, then put it in the fridge. It can be stored for up to a few weeks.
To serve, pour approximately 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a rocks glass packed with ice (preferably one large cube). Enjoy promptly. If you're feeling traditional, you could pour it using your fingers for authenticity.
