Cocktail This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It
Folklore has it that during 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was adamant that his cricket team would win over a touring English squad. To secure an advantage, he threw a splendid party the night before the match, at which he served his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These are incredibly large four-finger whisky servings, traditionally poured from pinky to index finger. Unsurprisingly, the English players overindulged, resulting in them being terribly the worse for wear and, consequently, defeated the following day. And so, the legend of the Patiala peg came to be.
This inspired spin on the old fashioned draws inspiration from the Maharaja's beverage. At the restaurant, we offer it from a custom-made large-format bottle, but we've modified the formula to make it easier for a home kitchen.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Makes 1 litre, enough for 10-12 drinks.
Ingredients
- 725g Scotch whisky blend
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Method
Put everything in a big container. Pour in 130g water, agitate thoroughly, then transfer it in the refrigerator. It will now keep for as long as a few weeks.
When ready to drink, pour roughly 90ml of the infused whisky into a short glass filled with ice (ideally one big block). Drink immediately. For a traditional touch, you could use the four-finger measure instead.