Cocktail of the Week: The Patiala Peg – How to Make It
Legend suggests that back in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was adamant that his cricket team would win over a touring English team. To secure an advantage, he hosted a splendid party the night before the match, where he presented his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These are famously large four-finger whisky servings, historically gauged from pinky to index finger. Unsurprisingly, the English players drank too much, leaving them extremely hungover and, inevitably, defeated the next day. In this way, the legend of the Patiala peg came to be.
This inspired spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail is inspired by Singh's drink. At the restaurant, we offer it from a custom-made large-format bottle, but we've adjusted the recipe to make it more suitable for a household environment.
Patiala Peg
Yields 1 litre, serving 10-12 drinks.
You Will Need
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Method
Place all the ingredients in a big container. Add 130g water, agitate thoroughly, then transfer it in the fridge. You can store it for about a few weeks.
For serving, pour approximately 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a old fashioned glass containing ice (ideally one big block). Drink straight away. If you're feeling traditional, you could use the four-finger measure as they did.
