Cocktail This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg – Recipe
Folklore claims that in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was determined that his cricket team would triumph over a touring English team. To gain the upper hand, he hosted a splendid party on the eve of the match, at which he offered his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These were famously generous four-finger measure whisky pours, traditionally measured from pinky to index finger. Predictably, the English players drank too much, leaving them terribly hungover and, inevitably, defeated the next day. Thus, the myth of the Patiala peg originated.
This inspired spin on the old fashioned is inspired by the Maharaja's concoction. In our establishment, we serve it from a specially crafted large-format bottle, but we've adjusted the instructions to make it more suitable for a home kitchen.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Produces 1 litre, to serve 10-12 people.
What's Required
- 725g Scotch whisky blend
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Method
Combine everything in a big container. Add 130g water, agitate to combine, then transfer it in the refrigerator. It will now keep for about a few weeks.
For serving, measure out roughly 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a short glass filled with ice (traditionally one large cube). Drink immediately. To honour tradition, you could measure it in by hand for authenticity.
