Drink of the Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It
Legend suggests that back in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was adamant that his cricket team would succeed over a visiting English team. For a competitive edge, he organized a splendid party the night before the match, where he served his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These are incredibly generous four-finger measure whisky pours, traditionally poured from pinky to index finger. Predictably, the English players overindulged, resulting in them being extremely hungover and, consequently, vanquished the next day. And so, the myth of the Patiala peg came to be.
This inspired variation of Old Fashioned cocktail draws inspiration from the Maharaja's concoction. At the restaurant, we offer it from a custom-made large-format bottle, but we've adapted the formula to make it easier for a household setting.
Patiala Peg
Makes 1 litre, serving 10-12 people.
You Will Need
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A dash of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Method
Combine everything in a sizeable jug. Add 130g water, agitate to combine, then transfer it in the refrigerator. It can be stored for as long as a few weeks.
For serving, dispense about 90ml of the infused whisky into a short glass containing ice (preferably one big block). Drink promptly. To honour tradition, you could pour it using your fingers instead.
