Drink This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It
Folklore claims that in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was determined that his team would win over a touring English squad. To gain the upper hand, he organized a grand party the night before the match, at which he presented his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These were famously generous four-finger measure whisky servings, historically measured from pinky to index finger. Unsurprisingly, the English players overindulged, resulting in them being extremely hungover and, consequently, vanquished the day after. Thus, the legend of the Patiala peg was born.
This Punjabi spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail takes its cue from Singh's beverage. In our establishment, we serve it from a custom-made five-litre bottle, but we've adapted the formula to make it more suitable for a domestic setting.
Patiala Peg
Yields 1 litre, serving 10-12 portions.
What's Required
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Preparation
Put everything in a sizeable jug. Add 130g water, stir thoroughly, then put it in the refrigerator. You can store it for about three weeks.
For serving, dispense about 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a short glass filled with ice (preferably one large cube). Enjoy straight away. For a traditional touch, you could use the four-finger measure instead.
