Drink for This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg – Recipe
Folklore has it that during 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was set that his team would triumph over a visiting English side. To secure an advantage, he threw a lavish party on the eve of the match, at which he served his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These were incredibly generous four-finger measure whisky pours, historically measured from little finger to forefinger. As expected, the English players overindulged, resulting in them being terribly the worse for wear and, consequently, beaten the day after. And so, the story of the Patiala peg originated.
This inspired kind-of old fashioned takes its cue from Singh's drink. At the restaurant, we present it from a specially crafted large-format bottle, but we've adapted the instructions to make it easier for a home setting.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Makes 1 litre, enough for 10-12 people.
What's Required
- 725g Scotch whisky blend
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Preparation
Place all the ingredients in a sizeable jug. Add 130g water, stir until fully incorporated, then transfer it in the fridge. It can be stored for about three weeks.
When ready to drink, dispense roughly 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a old fashioned glass packed with ice (ideally one big block). Enjoy immediately. To honour tradition, you could measure it in by hand instead.
