Drink of the Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg – How to Make It
Folklore suggests that in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was set that his cricket team would win over a touring English team. For a competitive edge, he hosted a grand party on the eve of the match, where he served his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These are famously large four-finger whisky pours, traditionally measured from pinky to forefinger. Unsurprisingly, the English players partook excessively, resulting in them being very the worse for wear and, inevitably, vanquished the following day. And so, the myth of the Patiala peg came to be.
This Punjabi spin on the old fashioned draws inspiration from Singh's concoction. In our establishment, we serve it from a bespoke five-litre bottle, but we've modified the instructions to make it easier for a domestic kitchen.
Patiala Peg
Yields 1 litre, enough for 10-12 portions.
You Will Need
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Method
Place all the ingredients in a sizeable jug. Pour in 130g water, agitate to combine, then place it in the fridge. It can be stored for as long as a few weeks.
When ready to drink, dispense about 90ml of the infused whisky into a rocks glass containing ice (preferably one big block). Drink immediately. If you're feeling traditional, you could measure it in by hand as they did.
