Drink for This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg – How to Make It
Folklore has it that in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was adamant that his cricket team would win over a touring English team. For a competitive edge, he threw a grand party the night before the match, at which he served his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These are incredibly substantial four-finger whisky servings, customarily poured from little finger to forefinger. Predictably, the English players partook excessively, resulting in them being extremely the worse for wear and, inevitably, beaten the next day. In this way, the myth of the Patiala peg originated.
This inspired spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail is inspired by that original beverage. At the restaurant, we serve it from a custom-made five-litre bottle, but we've adjusted the formula to make it more suitable for a home environment.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Makes 1 litre, to serve 10-12 people.
You Will Need
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Instructions
Put everything in a big container. Add 130g water, mix to combine, then place it in the fridge. It will now keep for about a few weeks.
To serve, dispense approximately 90ml of the infused whisky into a short glass containing ice (preferably one large cube). Drink immediately. To honour tradition, you could use the four-finger measure for authenticity.
