Cocktail of the Week: The Patiala Peg Cocktail – Recipe
Folklore claims that in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was set that his cricket team would triumph over a touring English team. To secure an advantage, he organized a lavish party the night before the match, at which he offered his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These are incredibly large four-finger whisky servings, traditionally poured from pinky to index finger. Predictably, the English players overindulged, resulting in them being extremely the worse for wear and, inevitably, beaten the next day. And so, the legend of the Patiala peg was born.
This take on a spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail takes its cue from Singh's beverage. Here, we offer it from a custom-made large-format bottle, but we've adapted the recipe to make it better suited for a home setting.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Yields 1 litre, serving 10-12 people.
What's Required
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g sugar syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Method
Put everything in a big container. Pour in 130g water, agitate thoroughly, then transfer it in the fridge. It will now keep for up to 21 days.
When ready to drink, dispense approximately 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a rocks glass filled with ice (ideally one large cube). Serve promptly. For a traditional touch, you could measure it in by hand as they did.
