Drink for This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – Recipe
Folklore has it that in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was adamant that his team would win over a touring English squad. To gain the upper hand, he threw a grand party the night before the match, where he served his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These are famously substantial four-finger whisky servings, customarily measured from little finger to forefinger. As expected, the English players drank too much, leaving them extremely hungover and, consequently, beaten the following day. And so, the myth of the Patiala peg was born.
This inspired spin on the old fashioned is inspired by Singh's beverage. At the restaurant, we present it from a specially crafted five-litre bottle, but we've adjusted the recipe to make it more suitable for a household setting.
Patiala Peg
Makes 1 litre, enough for 10-12 people.
You Will Need
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Method
Put all the ingredients in a large bottle. Pour in 130g water, mix thoroughly, then place it in the refrigerator. It can be stored for about three weeks.
For serving, pour roughly 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a old fashioned glass containing ice (traditionally one large cube). Enjoy promptly. To honour tradition, you could pour it using your fingers as they did.
