Cocktail for This Week: The Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It
Legend suggests that during 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was determined that his team would succeed over a visiting English side. For a competitive edge, he organized a grand party on the eve of the match, where he presented his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These were incredibly substantial four-finger whisky servings, traditionally measured from little finger to index finger. Predictably, the English players drank too much, resulting in them being very the worse for wear and, inevitably, vanquished the day after. And so, the story of the Patiala peg originated.
This inspired spin on the old fashioned draws inspiration from the Maharaja's concoction. In our establishment, we offer it from a custom-made large-format bottle, but we've modified the formula to make it easier for a domestic environment.
Patiala Peg
Makes 1 litre, to serve 10-12 portions.
What's Required
- 725g Scotch whisky blend
- 130g sugar syrup
- 6g Angostura bitters (about 1â…“ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (approximately â…• tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Method
Put everything in a large bottle. Include 130g water, stir until fully incorporated, then place it in the fridge. It will now keep for up to three weeks.
To serve, measure out approximately 90ml of the infused whisky into a rocks glass containing ice (preferably one large cube). Drink immediately. For a traditional touch, you could measure it in by hand instead.
