Drink of the Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – Recipe
Folklore claims that in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was determined that his team would succeed over a visiting English side. For a competitive edge, he organized a splendid party the night before the match, at which he presented his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These were incredibly substantial four-finger measure whisky servings, traditionally gauged from pinky to index finger. Predictably, the English players drank too much, resulting in them being extremely the worse for wear and, consequently, defeated the next day. Thus, the myth of the Patiala peg came to be.
This Punjabi spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail takes its cue from Singh's beverage. Here, we offer it from a specially crafted large-format bottle, but we've modified the formula to make it better suited for a domestic environment.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Yields 1 litre, to serve 10-12 portions.
You Will Need
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Preparation
Put everything in a big container. Pour in 130g water, stir to combine, then put it in the fridge. It can be stored for as long as three weeks.
When ready to drink, measure out about 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a old fashioned glass filled with ice (ideally one big block). Enjoy promptly. For a traditional touch, you could measure it in by hand for authenticity.
