Drink of the Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg – Recipe
Folklore claims that in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was adamant that his team would triumph over a visiting English team. To gain the upper hand, he hosted a splendid party on the eve of the match, at which he served his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These are incredibly substantial four-finger measure whisky pours, customarily measured from pinky to forefinger. As expected, the English players drank too much, resulting in them being terribly hungover and, inevitably, vanquished the next day. Thus, the story of the Patiala peg was born.
This inspired spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail draws inspiration from that original drink. In our establishment, we offer it from a specially crafted large-format bottle, but we've adapted the instructions to make it easier for a home environment.
Patiala Peg
Makes 1 litre, serving 10-12 people.
What's Required
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A dash of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Method
Combine all the ingredients in a sizeable jug. Pour in 130g water, agitate thoroughly, then place it in the fridge. It will now keep for as long as a few weeks.
When ready to drink, pour roughly 90ml of the infused whisky into a short glass containing ice (preferably one big block). Drink immediately. If you're feeling traditional, you could measure it in by hand for authenticity.
