Cocktail for This Week: The Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It
Folklore claims that back in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was determined that his team would win over a touring English squad. To gain the upper hand, he hosted a splendid party on the eve of the match, at which he served his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These were incredibly substantial four-finger whisky servings, traditionally measured from little finger to forefinger. As expected, the English players overindulged, leaving them very hungover and, consequently, defeated the day after. In this way, the legend of the Patiala peg came to be.
This take on a spin on the old fashioned draws inspiration from Singh's concoction. In our establishment, we offer it from a custom-made large-format bottle, but we've modified the recipe to make it easier for a domestic kitchen.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Yields 1 litre, serving 10-12 drinks.
What's Required
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Method
Put all the ingredients in a sizeable jug. Include 130g water, stir until fully incorporated, then place it in the fridge. You can store it for as long as 21 days.
For serving, dispense roughly 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a short glass filled with ice (preferably one big block). Drink promptly. For a traditional touch, you could pour it using your fingers as they did.
