Cocktail for This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It
Legend has it that back in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was determined that his team would succeed over a visiting English team. To secure an advantage, he organized a splendid party on the eve of the match, at which he offered his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These are famously substantial four-finger whisky servings, customarily gauged from pinky to forefinger. Unsurprisingly, the English players overindulged, leaving them extremely the worse for wear and, consequently, vanquished the next day. Thus, the myth of the Patiala peg originated.
This inspired kind-of Old Fashioned cocktail takes its cue from that original concoction. Here, we present it from a custom-made five-litre bottle, but we've modified the instructions to make it more suitable for a household environment.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Makes 1 litre, serving 10-12 drinks.
What's Required
- 725g Scotch whisky blend
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A dash of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Method
Put all the ingredients in a big container. Pour in 130g water, agitate thoroughly, then transfer it in the refrigerator. It will now keep for about three weeks.
For serving, measure out roughly 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a short glass packed with ice (ideally one large cube). Enjoy immediately. For a traditional touch, you could pour it using your fingers instead.
