Cocktail of the Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg – How to Make It

Legend claims that during 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was determined that his cricket team would win over a visiting English team. For a competitive edge, he organized a grand party on the eve of the match, where he offered his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These were famously large four-finger measure whisky servings, historically gauged from pinky to index finger. Unsurprisingly, the English players drank too much, resulting in them being terribly the worse for wear and, consequently, vanquished the following day. And so, the myth of the Patiala peg came to be.

This Punjabi spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail draws inspiration from that original drink. Here, we present it from a bespoke five-litre bottle, but we've adapted the formula to make it more suitable for a household environment.

The Patiala Peg Recipe

Produces 1 litre, serving 10-12 people.

Ingredients

• 725g blended scotch whisky
• 130g sugar syrup
• 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
• 1g orange-flavoured bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
• A small pinch of salt
• 2g xanthan gum

Method

Place all the ingredients in a big container. Include 130g water, agitate until fully incorporated, then transfer it in the refrigerator. It can be stored for about three weeks.

When ready to drink, pour approximately 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a old fashioned glass containing ice (ideally one large cube). Drink immediately. If you're feeling traditional, you could use the four-finger measure as they did.