Drink This Week: The Patiala Peg Cocktail – Recipe
Folklore suggests that during 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was determined that his cricket team would triumph over a touring English team. To secure an advantage, he hosted a splendid party the night before the match, at which he offered his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These were notoriously substantial four-finger whisky servings, customarily gauged from pinky to forefinger. Unsurprisingly, the English players drank too much, leaving them terribly the worse for wear and, inevitably, defeated the next day. In this way, the legend of the Patiala peg came to be.
This take on a kind-of old fashioned draws inspiration from Singh's beverage. At the restaurant, we offer it from a specially crafted five-litre bottle, but we've adjusted the recipe to make it more suitable for a home setting.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Makes 1 litre, enough for 10-12 people.
What's Required
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Method
Combine all the ingredients in a big container. Add 130g water, stir to combine, then put it in the refrigerator. It will now keep for up to 21 days.
For serving, dispense about 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a short glass containing ice (traditionally one large cube). Drink immediately. If you're feeling traditional, you could use the four-finger measure for authenticity.
