Cocktail This Week: The Patiala Peg – Recipe
Legend claims that in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was adamant that his team would win over a visiting English squad. 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 are notoriously substantial four-finger measure whisky servings, traditionally poured from pinky to forefinger. Predictably, the English players overindulged, leaving them very the worse for wear and, consequently, vanquished the following day. And so, the story of the Patiala peg was born.
This take on a kind-of Old Fashioned cocktail takes its cue from Singh's concoction. At the restaurant, we serve it from a bespoke large-format bottle, but we've modified the formula to make it better suited for a home setting.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Produces 1 litre, to serve 10-12 portions.
Ingredients
- 725g Scotch whisky blend
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A dash of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Instructions
Place all the ingredients in a big container. Add 130g water, stir until fully incorporated, then put it in the fridge. It can be stored for up to three weeks.
When ready to drink, pour approximately 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a old fashioned glass packed with ice (ideally one large cube). Serve immediately. If you're feeling traditional, you could use the four-finger measure for authenticity.
