Drink for This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg – Recipe
Tale suggests that during 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was adamant that his team would win over a touring English team. To gain the upper hand, he hosted a grand party the night before the match, where he offered his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These are famously large four-finger measure whisky servings, historically gauged from pinky to index finger. As expected, the English players overindulged, leaving them terribly the worse for wear and, consequently, beaten the next day. And so, the myth of the Patiala peg came to be.
This Punjabi spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail is inspired by the Maharaja's drink. In our establishment, we offer it from a custom-made large-format bottle, but we've modified the recipe to make it easier for a domestic setting.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Makes 1 litre, enough for 10-12 portions.
You Will Need
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g sugar syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Instructions
Place all the ingredients in a big container. Pour in 130g water, stir to combine, then put it in the fridge. It will now keep for up to a few weeks.
For serving, measure out approximately 90ml of the infused whisky into a short glass containing ice (ideally one large cube). Enjoy promptly. For a traditional touch, you could pour it using your fingers for authenticity.
