Cocktail This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg Cocktail – Recipe

Legend claims that in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was determined that his team would win over a touring English team. To gain the upper hand, he threw a splendid party on the eve of the match, at which he presented his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These were famously generous four-finger whisky pours, customarily measured from pinky to index finger. Unsurprisingly, the English players overindulged, leaving them terribly hungover and, inevitably, beaten the day after. And so, the myth of the Patiala peg was born.

This Punjabi variation of old fashioned draws inspiration from that original concoction. Here, we present it from a bespoke large-format bottle, but we've modified the formula to make it more suitable for a home environment.

Patiala Peg

Produces 1 litre, to serve 10-12 portions.

You Will Need

• 725g Scotch whisky blend
• 130g simple syrup
• 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
• 1g orange bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
• A pinch of salt
• 2g xanthan gum powder

Preparation

Place all the ingredients in a sizeable jug. Add 130g water, stir thoroughly, then transfer it in the refrigerator. It can be stored for up to a few weeks.

For serving, dispense about 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a short glass filled with ice (ideally one large cube). Serve immediately. For a traditional touch, you could use the four-finger measure for authenticity.