Cocktail of the Week: The Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It
Tale has it that in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was adamant that his team would succeed over a visiting English side. To gain the upper hand, he hosted a lavish 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 measured from pinky to forefinger. Unsurprisingly, the English players overindulged, leaving them very hungover and, consequently, vanquished the day after. Thus, the story of the Patiala peg originated.
This take on a spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail draws inspiration from the Maharaja's drink. At the restaurant, we offer it from a bespoke five-litre bottle, but we've adapted the instructions to make it better suited for a home environment.
Patiala Peg
Yields 1 litre, enough for 10-12 people.
You Will Need
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g sugar syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Preparation
Combine everything in a big container. Include 130g water, mix thoroughly, then place it in the fridge. It will now keep for up to three weeks.
To serve, pour roughly 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a rocks glass containing ice (traditionally one big block). Enjoy straight away. To honour tradition, you could pour it using your fingers for authenticity.
