Cocktail for This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It
Folklore suggests that back in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was set that his cricket team would succeed over a visiting English team. To gain the upper hand, he organized a lavish party on the eve of the match, at which he presented his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These are incredibly generous four-finger measure whisky pours, historically gauged from little finger to index finger. As expected, the English players drank too much, resulting in them being very hungover and, consequently, beaten the next day. Thus, the story of the Patiala peg came to be.
This inspired kind-of Old Fashioned cocktail takes its cue from the Maharaja's concoction. At the restaurant, we offer it from a bespoke five-litre bottle, but we've adapted the recipe to make it easier for a domestic kitchen.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Yields 1 litre, serving 10-12 people.
What's Required
- 725g Scotch whisky blend
- 130g sugar syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A dash of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Instructions
Put everything in a big container. Add 130g water, mix to combine, then place it in the fridge. It will now keep for about a few weeks.
To serve, measure out approximately 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a short glass packed with ice (ideally one large cube). Serve immediately. For a traditional touch, you could pour it using your fingers for authenticity.
