Drink This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – Recipe
Folklore suggests that in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was adamant that his team would triumph over a visiting English side. To gain the upper hand, he threw a grand party on the eve of the match, where he offered his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These are notoriously substantial four-finger whisky pours, customarily poured from pinky to forefinger. As expected, the English players partook excessively, resulting in them being extremely the worse for wear and, consequently, defeated the day after. And so, the story of the Patiala peg originated.
This take on a spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail draws inspiration from the Maharaja's beverage. Here, we present it from a custom-made five-litre bottle, but we've adapted the formula to make it easier for a home environment.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Yields 1 litre, serving 10-12 people.
What's Required
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A dash of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Method
Place all the ingredients in a big container. Add 130g water, agitate thoroughly, then put it in the fridge. It will now keep for as long as three weeks.
To serve, pour approximately 90ml of the infused whisky into a short glass packed with ice (ideally one big block). Serve immediately. If you're feeling traditional, you could use the four-finger measure for authenticity.
