Cocktail of the Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg – Recipe
Legend claims that during 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was adamant that his cricket team would win over a visiting English side. To secure an advantage, he organized a grand party the night before the match, where he served his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These were incredibly large four-finger whisky pours, historically measured from little finger to forefinger. Unsurprisingly, the English players overindulged, leaving them terribly the worse for wear and, consequently, defeated the following day. In this way, the myth of the Patiala peg was born.
This Punjabi variation of Old Fashioned cocktail is inspired by that original beverage. At the restaurant, we serve it from a bespoke five-litre bottle, but we've adjusted the formula to make it easier for a domestic setting.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Makes 1 litre, to serve 10-12 people.
Ingredients
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A dash of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Preparation
Put everything in a big container. Pour in 130g water, mix until fully incorporated, then put it in the refrigerator. It can be stored for about 21 days.
To serve, dispense about 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a old fashioned glass packed with ice (traditionally one big block). Drink immediately. To honour tradition, you could pour it using your fingers instead.
