Cocktail of the Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg – How to Make It
Legend has it that back in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was set that his team would win over a visiting English team. To secure an advantage, he hosted a grand party on the eve of the match, at which he presented his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These were incredibly large four-finger measure whisky pours, historically measured from little finger to index finger. As expected, the English players partook excessively, leaving them terribly hungover and, inevitably, vanquished the following day. Thus, the myth of the Patiala peg was born.
This inspired variation of Old Fashioned cocktail is inspired by the Maharaja's concoction. Here, we present it from a custom-made five-litre bottle, but we've adapted the instructions to make it easier for a household setting.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Makes 1 litre, to serve 10-12 people.
Ingredients
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Instructions
Put everything in a big container. Include 130g water, stir to combine, then transfer it in the refrigerator. It can be stored for as long as 21 days.
When ready to drink, measure out roughly 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a rocks glass packed with ice (traditionally one big block). Serve immediately. For a traditional touch, you could pour it using your fingers for authenticity.
