🥃 Patiala Peg

Johnnie Walker Black, gum syrup & Afghani saffron bitters — the grande dame of Indian measures

Blended Scotch Whisky
3 min
Stirred
Old Fashioned Glass
~30%
Ambassadors Clubhouse
Ingredients
  • 90ml Johnnie Walker Black Label (the full Patiala measure)
  • 10ml gum syrup (gomme — sugar syrup with gum arabic, for silkiness)
  • 2 dashes Afghani saffron bitters (or regular aromatic bitters + ¼ tsp saffron-infused honey)
  • Large ice cube
  • Orange zest twist to garnish
Method
  1. 1
    BuildPlace a large ice cube in an Old Fashioned glass.
  2. 2
    PourMeasure the whisky with respect — 90ml is the Patiala standard.
  3. 3
    AddAdd gum syrup and saffron bitters.
  4. 4
    StirStir gently 15–20 times. The whisky should not be over-diluted.
  5. 5
    GarnishExpress an orange zest over the glass, run around the rim, drop in.

About This Cocktail

The Patiala Peg is the name given to an Indian measure of whisky that is significantly larger than the standard 30ml or 60ml measure used in bars — roughly 90ml or more, poured by a relaxed wrist. The name comes from the Punjab city of Patiala and its ruling Maharaja, who was said to have drunk whisky in quantities that would alarm even the most liberal bartender. Ambassadors Clubhouse turns this cultural legend into a precise cocktail by adding gum syrup (for silkiness) and Afghani saffron bitters (the saffron of Khorasan, some of the world's finest).

Variations

Patiala Old FashionedAdd a full Old Fashioned treatment: increase bitters to 4 dashes, replace gum syrup with demerara sugar, garnish with burnt orange
Amrut PatialaReplace Johnnie Walker with Amrut Single Malt (India's first internationally acclaimed single malt, from Bengaluru) — intensely Indian
Hot PatialaServe warm: heat gently with cardamom pod and star anise — India's original winter cocktail
Bartender Tips

Gum syrup (gomme syrup) is thicker than regular simple syrup due to dissolved gum arabic — it adds a silky mouthfeel that transforms the drink from a whisky-on-the-rocks into something more considered. It is available at cocktail supply stores. Saffron-infused honey (steep a few saffron strands in warm honey for 30 min) is an excellent substitute for the saffron bitters. The Patiala Peg is not a complicated cocktail — its excellence comes entirely from the quality of the whisky.

Source Restaurant
Restaurant
Ambassadors Clubhouse, Midtown Manhattan, New York City
Spirit
Blended Scotch Whisky
Method
Stirred
ABV
~30%
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Where to drink this
Restaurant
Ambassadors Clubhouse
Address
Midtown Manhattan, New York City
Style
Indian cocktail bar & lounge
Accolades
Midtown's standout Indian cocktail destination

Ambassadors Clubhouse brings an aristocratic sensibility to Indian cocktail culture — drinks that draw from the era of Indian diplomatic gatherings, colonial-era clubs, and Mughal court traditions. The menu is sophisticated without being austere, featuring regional Indian ingredients in cocktails designed to be talked about as much as drunk.

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