Drink for This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg – Recipe
Tale claims that back in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was determined that his team would triumph over a visiting English team. To gain the upper hand, he threw a grand party on the eve of the match, at which he served his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These are incredibly substantial four-finger whisky pours, historically gauged from pinky to index finger. Predictably, the English players drank too much, leaving them terribly the worse for wear and, inevitably, defeated the next day. And so, the story of the Patiala peg was born.
This Punjabi kind-of old fashioned takes its cue from that original concoction. At the restaurant, we offer it from a specially crafted five-litre bottle, but we've modified the formula to make it easier for a home kitchen.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Makes 1 litre, serving 10-12 portions.
What's Required
- 725g Scotch whisky blend
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A dash of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Method
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 up to 21 days.
For serving, dispense roughly 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a rocks glass containing ice (traditionally one large cube). Drink immediately. For a traditional touch, you could measure it in by hand as they did.
