Cocktail This Week: The Patiala Peg – Recipe
Legend suggests that during 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was set that his cricket team would win over a visiting English team. To gain the upper hand, he organized a grand party on the eve of the match, where he presented his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These are famously large four-finger whisky pours, customarily measured from pinky to index finger. As expected, the English players partook excessively, leaving them terribly the worse for wear and, consequently, vanquished the next day. In this way, the myth of the Patiala peg originated.
This Punjabi spin on the old fashioned is inspired by the Maharaja's concoction. In our establishment, we present it from a specially crafted five-litre bottle, but we've adapted the recipe to make it easier for a home environment.
Patiala Peg
Yields 1 litre, enough for 10-12 drinks.
What's Required
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Instructions
Place everything in a sizeable jug. Add 130g water, stir to combine, then put it in the refrigerator. It can be stored for about three weeks.
To serve, dispense about 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a rocks glass filled with ice (preferably one large cube). Drink promptly. To honour tradition, you could pour it using your fingers instead.
