Drink of the Week: The Patiala Peg Cocktail – Recipe
Legend has it that in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was determined that his cricket team would triumph over a visiting English squad. To gain the upper hand, he hosted a grand party the night before the match, at which he offered his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These are notoriously generous four-finger whisky servings, traditionally gauged from little finger to forefinger. Unsurprisingly, the English players partook excessively, resulting in them being extremely the worse for wear and, consequently, beaten the day after. Thus, the story of the Patiala peg was born.
This inspired kind-of Old Fashioned cocktail takes its cue from Singh's beverage. In our establishment, we offer it from a bespoke large-format bottle, but we've adapted the recipe to make it better suited for a household environment.
Patiala Peg
Produces 1 litre, serving 10-12 people.
You Will Need
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g sugar syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Instructions
Put everything in a sizeable jug. Add 130g water, agitate to combine, then place it in the fridge. It can be stored for about three weeks.
When ready to drink, pour approximately 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a short glass packed with ice (traditionally one large cube). Drink immediately. If you're feeling traditional, you could measure it in by hand as they did.