Drink This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It
Legend suggests that during 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was set that his cricket team would triumph over a touring English squad. For a competitive edge, he hosted a grand party on the eve of the match, where he offered his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These were notoriously substantial four-finger whisky pours, customarily poured from pinky to forefinger. Unsurprisingly, the English players partook excessively, resulting in them being terribly hungover and, consequently, defeated the day after. Thus, the myth of the Patiala peg came to be.
This inspired variation of old fashioned is inspired by that original concoction. Here, we present it from a custom-made five-litre bottle, but we've adjusted the recipe to make it easier for a domestic setting.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Produces 1 litre, serving 10-12 people.
What's Required
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1â…“ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (approximately â…• tsp)
- A dash of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Preparation
Combine all the ingredients in a sizeable jug. Include 130g water, agitate until fully incorporated, then put it in the refrigerator. You can store it for up to three weeks.
To serve, measure out about 90ml of the infused whisky into a old fashioned glass packed with ice (traditionally one large cube). Serve straight away. To honour tradition, you could measure it in by hand instead.
