Cocktail for This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – Recipe
Folklore has it that in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was set that his team would succeed over a touring English team. For a competitive edge, he organized a splendid party the night before the match, at which he served his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These are famously large four-finger whisky servings, traditionally measured from little finger to index finger. As expected, the English players partook excessively, leaving them terribly the worse for wear and, inevitably, vanquished the next day. Thus, the story of the Patiala peg came to be.
This inspired variation of old fashioned is inspired by the Maharaja's beverage. At the restaurant, we serve it from a custom-made large-format bottle, but we've adapted the formula to make it easier for a household kitchen.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Yields 1 litre, enough for 10-12 people.
You Will Need
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Method
Combine everything in a sizeable jug. Add 130g water, stir to combine, then put it in the fridge. It will now keep for up to a few weeks.
When ready to drink, dispense roughly 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a short glass filled with ice (ideally one large cube). Drink straight away. To honour tradition, you could pour it using your fingers instead.
