Cocktail for This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – Recipe
Tale suggests that back in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was set that his team would win over a touring English team. For a competitive edge, he hosted a splendid party on the eve of the match, where he served his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These were famously substantial four-finger whisky servings, traditionally measured from little finger to forefinger. Unsurprisingly, the English players partook excessively, leaving them terribly hungover and, consequently, vanquished the day after. Thus, the story of the Patiala peg came to be.
This Punjabi kind-of Old Fashioned cocktail draws inspiration from the Maharaja's drink. In our establishment, we offer it from a specially crafted large-format bottle, but we've modified the formula to make it easier for a domestic kitchen.
Patiala Peg
Makes 1 litre, serving 10-12 portions.
What's Required
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1â…“ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (about â…• tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Method
Put everything in a large bottle. Include 130g water, stir to combine, then put it in the refrigerator. It can be stored for about three weeks.
To serve, pour roughly 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a short glass containing ice (preferably one large cube). Enjoy immediately. To honour tradition, you could pour it using your fingers as they did.