Cocktail of the Week: The Patiala Peg – How to Make It
Legend has it that back in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was determined that his cricket team would succeed over a visiting English side. To gain the upper hand, he hosted a grand party on the eve of the match, where he offered his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These were famously large four-finger measure whisky servings, historically poured from pinky to forefinger. Unsurprisingly, the English players partook excessively, resulting in them being terribly hungover and, consequently, vanquished the next day. In this way, the legend of the Patiala peg originated.
This take on a spin on the old fashioned takes its cue from that original drink. In our establishment, we offer it from a bespoke five-litre bottle, but we've modified the recipe to make it easier for a household kitchen.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Yields 1 litre, serving 10-12 drinks.
Ingredients
- 725g Scotch whisky blend
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Method
Combine all the ingredients in a large bottle. Pour in 130g water, mix until fully incorporated, then place it in the refrigerator. It will now keep for as long as a few weeks.
When ready to drink, pour about 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a old fashioned glass filled with ice (ideally one big block). Enjoy straight away. To honour tradition, you could measure it in by hand instead.
