Drink of the Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg – Recipe

Legend claims that back in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was set that his cricket team would triumph over a touring English team. To secure an advantage, he hosted a grand party the night before the match, where he served his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These are notoriously substantial four-finger measure whisky pours, traditionally poured from little finger to index finger. As expected, the English players drank too much, leaving them very the worse for wear and, inevitably, defeated the day after. Thus, the myth of the Patiala peg was born.

This inspired spin on the old fashioned draws inspiration from the Maharaja's drink. In our establishment, we present it from a custom-made five-litre bottle, but we've modified the instructions to make it easier for a domestic environment.

The Patiala Peg Recipe

Produces 1 litre, to serve 10-12 drinks.

Ingredients

• 725g blended Scotch
• 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
• 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
• 1g orange bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
• A small pinch of salt
• 2g xanthan gum

Method

Place everything in a sizeable jug. Pour in 130g water, stir until fully incorporated, then transfer it in the fridge. It will now keep for up to three weeks.

To serve, pour approximately 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a rocks glass filled with ice (ideally one big block). Serve promptly. If you're feeling traditional, you could use the four-finger measure as they did.