Drink for This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It
Legend suggests that in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was determined that his team would triumph over a touring English side. For a competitive edge, he organized a splendid party on the eve of the match, at which he served his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These are famously large four-finger measure whisky pours, historically gauged from pinky to index finger. Unsurprisingly, the English players drank too much, leaving them extremely the worse for wear and, inevitably, beaten the following day. In this way, the myth of the Patiala peg was born.
This Punjabi variation of Old Fashioned cocktail takes its cue from the Maharaja's drink. At the restaurant, we present it from a specially crafted large-format bottle, but we've modified the recipe to make it better suited for a home setting.
Patiala Peg
Yields 1 litre, to serve 10-12 drinks.
Ingredients
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Method
Combine all the ingredients in a large bottle. Add 130g water, mix to combine, then transfer it in the fridge. It will now keep for about 21 days.
For serving, dispense approximately 90ml of the infused whisky into a short glass containing ice (ideally one large cube). Enjoy promptly. If you're feeling traditional, you could measure it in by hand for authenticity.
