Cocktail This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg – How to Make It
Folklore suggests that back in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was determined that his cricket team would win over a touring English team. To secure an advantage, he organized a grand party the night before the match, where he served his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These were notoriously substantial four-finger measure whisky servings, traditionally measured from pinky to forefinger. As expected, the English players overindulged, resulting in them being terribly the worse for wear and, inevitably, vanquished the next day. And so, the story of the Patiala peg originated.
This Punjabi spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail is inspired by the Maharaja's drink. At the restaurant, we offer it from a bespoke five-litre bottle, but we've adjusted the recipe to make it better suited for a household setting.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Makes 1 litre, to serve 10-12 people.
What's Required
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A dash of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Method
Combine everything in a big container. Add 130g water, stir thoroughly, then put it in the fridge. It will now keep for as long as three weeks.
When ready to drink, measure out about 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a short glass filled with ice (preferably one large cube). Enjoy immediately. If you're feeling traditional, you could pour it using your fingers as they did.