Drink of the Week: The Patiala Peg – How to Make It
Legend suggests that during 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was adamant that his cricket team would triumph over a visiting English side. To gain the upper hand, he hosted a splendid party the night before the match, where he presented his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These are incredibly generous four-finger measure whisky servings, traditionally poured from pinky to index finger. Unsurprisingly, the English players drank too much, leaving them extremely the worse for wear and, inevitably, vanquished the following day. And so, the myth of the Patiala peg came to be.
This inspired spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail takes its cue from the Maharaja's drink. In our establishment, we serve it from a specially crafted five-litre bottle, but we've adjusted the recipe to make it better suited for a home kitchen.
Patiala Peg
Produces 1 litre, serving 10-12 drinks.
What's Required
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Instructions
Place everything in a big container. Pour in 130g water, mix to combine, then transfer it in the refrigerator. It can be stored for as long as 21 days.
When ready to drink, pour about 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a short glass containing ice (preferably one large cube). Drink straight away. For a traditional touch, you could use the four-finger measure for authenticity.
