Drink for This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg – How to Make It
Folklore suggests that in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was determined that his team would triumph over a touring English team. To gain the upper hand, he threw a splendid party on the eve of the match, at which he offered his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These were incredibly generous four-finger measure whisky servings, traditionally measured from pinky to index finger. Predictably, the English players drank too much, leaving them terribly the worse for wear and, consequently, vanquished the next day. In this way, the myth of the Patiala peg was born.
This take on a spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail takes its cue from the Maharaja's beverage. Here, we offer it from a bespoke five-litre bottle, but we've modified the recipe to make it better suited for a household environment.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Makes 1 litre, enough for 10-12 people.
What's Required
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Instructions
Put everything in a big container. Add 130g water, mix to combine, then put it in the fridge. You can store it for up to 21 days.
For serving, measure out roughly 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a rocks glass filled with ice (ideally one big block). Serve promptly. To honour tradition, you could pour it using your fingers for authenticity.
