Cocktail of the Week: The Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It
Tale suggests that in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was set that his cricket team would triumph over a visiting English side. For a competitive edge, he organized a grand party the night before the match, at which he presented his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These were notoriously substantial four-finger measure whisky pours, historically gauged from pinky to index finger. As expected, the English players partook excessively, resulting in them being extremely hungover and, inevitably, vanquished the day after. In this way, the legend of the Patiala peg came to be.
This inspired variation of old fashioned takes its cue from Singh's concoction. At the restaurant, we serve it from a specially crafted five-litre bottle, but we've adjusted the formula to make it easier for a home setting.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Yields 1 litre, to serve 10-12 drinks.
What's Required
- 725g Scotch whisky blend
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A dash of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Preparation
Place all the ingredients in a large bottle. Add 130g water, stir until fully incorporated, then transfer it in the fridge. You can store it for up to three weeks.
For serving, dispense approximately 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a old fashioned glass packed with ice (preferably one big block). Serve promptly. For a traditional touch, you could pour it using your fingers for authenticity.
