Cocktail of the Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – Recipe
Tale claims that during 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was set that his cricket team would triumph over a visiting English team. To secure an advantage, he organized a lavish party on the eve of the match, where he offered his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These were incredibly generous four-finger whisky servings, traditionally gauged from pinky to forefinger. Predictably, the English players overindulged, leaving them terribly the worse for wear and, consequently, defeated the day after. And so, the myth of the Patiala peg originated.
This Punjabi spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail takes its cue from the Maharaja's concoction. At the restaurant, we offer it from a custom-made large-format bottle, but we've adapted the instructions to make it better suited for a home kitchen.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Makes 1 litre, enough for 10-12 people.
You Will Need
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Method
Put everything in a large bottle. Pour in 130g water, stir thoroughly, then put it in the fridge. It can be stored for about a few weeks.
To serve, pour roughly 90ml of the infused whisky into a rocks glass filled with ice (ideally one large cube). Drink immediately. If you're feeling traditional, you could pour it using your fingers for authenticity.
