Drink This Week: The Patiala Peg Cocktail – Recipe
Legend has it that back in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was adamant that his cricket team would triumph over a visiting English team. To gain the upper hand, he hosted a grand party the night before the match, at which he presented his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These were incredibly large four-finger measure whisky servings, historically poured from little finger to index finger. Unsurprisingly, the English players drank too much, leaving them very the worse for wear and, consequently, beaten the day after. In this way, the story of the Patiala peg was born.
This Punjabi variation of Old Fashioned cocktail is inspired by Singh's concoction. In our establishment, we serve it from a specially crafted five-litre bottle, but we've modified the recipe to make it easier for a household kitchen.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Makes 1 litre, enough for 10-12 portions.
You Will Need
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura bitters (approximately 1â…“ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (about â…• tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Preparation
Combine everything in a large bottle. Include 130g water, stir until fully incorporated, then put it in the fridge. It will now keep for about three weeks.
When ready to drink, dispense approximately 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a old fashioned glass filled with ice (preferably one big block). Enjoy promptly. For a traditional touch, you could pour it using your fingers as they did.