Drink for This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg – Recipe
Legend has it that during 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was determined that his team would win over a visiting English side. To gain the upper hand, he threw a grand party on the eve of the match, at which he served his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These are notoriously substantial four-finger measure whisky pours, traditionally gauged from pinky to index finger. Unsurprisingly, the English players overindulged, resulting in them being extremely hungover and, inevitably, beaten the next day. Thus, the myth of the Patiala peg originated.
This Punjabi spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail draws inspiration from Singh's drink. Here, we offer it from a bespoke large-format bottle, but we've modified the formula to make it better suited for a domestic environment.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Makes 1 litre, enough for 10-12 people.
What's Required
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A dash of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Method
Place everything in a large bottle. Include 130g water, stir to combine, then put it in the refrigerator. It can be stored for as long as 21 days.
For serving, pour about 90ml of the infused whisky into a rocks glass packed with ice (preferably one large cube). Drink promptly. For a traditional touch, you could use the four-finger measure instead.
