Drink This Week: Ambassadors Clubhouse's Patiala Peg – How to Make It

Tale suggests that during 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was determined that his cricket team would succeed over a visiting English team. For a competitive edge, he organized a lavish party the night before the match, where he presented his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These are famously generous four-finger measure whisky servings, historically measured from pinky to index finger. Predictably, the English players overindulged, leaving them extremely hungover and, inevitably, beaten the following day. Thus, the legend of the Patiala peg was born.

This inspired variation of old fashioned is inspired by Singh's beverage. Here, we present it from a bespoke large-format bottle, but we've adapted the recipe to make it more suitable for a household environment.

Patiala Peg

Yields 1 litre, to serve 10-12 people.

You Will Need

  • 725g blended Scotch
  • 130g simple syrup
  • 6g Angostura bitters (approximately 1â…“ tsp)
  • 1g orange bitters (about â…• tsp)
  • A pinch of salt
  • 2g xanthan gum powder

Instructions

Place everything in a sizeable jug. Pour in 130g water, agitate until fully incorporated, then transfer it in the fridge. It can be stored for as long as a few weeks.

When ready to drink, measure out approximately 90ml of the infused whisky into a rocks glass filled with ice (traditionally one big block). Enjoy promptly. For a traditional touch, you could pour it using your fingers instead.

Eric Greene
Eric Greene

Maya Chen is a tech strategist with over a decade of experience in digital transformation and business innovation, passionate about sharing actionable insights.