Cocktail This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It
Tale has it that back in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was adamant that his cricket team would win over a visiting English side. To secure an advantage, he threw a splendid party the night before the match, at which he served his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These were incredibly generous four-finger measure whisky pours, traditionally gauged from little finger to index finger. Predictably, the English players overindulged, resulting in them being very the worse for wear and, consequently, vanquished the day after. Thus, the story of the Patiala peg was born.
This inspired spin on the old fashioned draws inspiration from the Maharaja's beverage. At the restaurant, we offer it from a bespoke large-format bottle, but we've adapted the formula to make it better suited for a household kitchen.
Patiala Peg
Yields 1 litre, to serve 10-12 portions.
You Will Need
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Preparation
Place everything in a sizeable jug. Pour in 130g water, stir until fully incorporated, then transfer it in the refrigerator. You can store it for up to 21 days.
When ready to drink, dispense approximately 90ml of the infused whisky into a old fashioned glass packed with ice (ideally one big block). Enjoy promptly. If you're feeling traditional, you could pour it using your fingers instead.
