Drink of the Week: The Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It
Folklore has it that in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was determined that his team would succeed over a touring English team. To secure an advantage, he hosted a lavish party the night before the match, where he offered his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These were notoriously substantial four-finger whisky pours, traditionally gauged from little finger to forefinger. Unsurprisingly, the English players overindulged, resulting in them being very hungover and, consequently, defeated the day after. In this way, the legend of the Patiala peg came to be.
This inspired variation of Old Fashioned cocktail draws inspiration from Singh's concoction. Here, we serve it from a custom-made large-format bottle, but we've adapted the recipe to make it more suitable for a home kitchen.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Yields 1 litre, to serve 10-12 portions.
What's Required
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g sugar syrup
- 6g Angostura bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Instructions
Place all the ingredients in a sizeable jug. Pour in 130g water, stir until fully incorporated, then put it in the fridge. It will now keep for about 21 days.
For serving, pour approximately 90ml of the infused whisky into a old fashioned glass packed with ice (preferably one big block). Drink promptly. For a traditional touch, you could pour it using your fingers for authenticity.
