Cocktail for This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg – How to Make It
Tale claims that in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was adamant that his cricket team would triumph over a visiting English squad. To secure an advantage, he organized a grand party on the eve of the match, at which he presented his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These were famously substantial four-finger whisky servings, historically measured from pinky to forefinger. Unsurprisingly, the English players partook excessively, leaving them very hungover and, consequently, beaten the day after. In this way, the story of the Patiala peg originated.
This inspired spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail draws inspiration from the Maharaja's beverage. Here, we offer it from a custom-made large-format bottle, but we've modified the instructions to make it more suitable for a domestic environment.
Patiala Peg
Makes 1 litre, to serve 10-12 drinks.
What's Required
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1â…“ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (approximately â…• tsp)
- A dash of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Instructions
Combine everything in a sizeable jug. Include 130g water, stir thoroughly, then place it in the refrigerator. It can be stored for as long as 21 days.
To serve, dispense roughly 90ml of the infused whisky into a rocks glass packed with ice (ideally one big block). Drink immediately. To honour tradition, you could pour it using your fingers instead.
