Drink This Week: The Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It
Legend has it that in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was determined that his team would win over a touring English team. For a competitive edge, he hosted a lavish party on the eve of the match, at which he offered his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These are incredibly substantial four-finger measure whisky pours, historically gauged from little finger to forefinger. Unsurprisingly, the English players drank too much, leaving them very the worse for wear and, consequently, vanquished the following day. In this way, the legend of the Patiala peg was born.
This inspired variation of Old Fashioned cocktail draws inspiration from that original concoction. In our establishment, we serve it from a bespoke large-format bottle, but we've modified the recipe to make it more suitable for a household environment.
Patiala Peg
Produces 1 litre, serving 10-12 drinks.
What's Required
- 725g Scotch whisky blend
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Preparation
Place everything in a big container. Add 130g water, agitate until fully incorporated, then put it in the refrigerator. It can be stored for about three weeks.
For serving, dispense about 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a old fashioned glass containing ice (preferably one big block). Enjoy immediately. To honour tradition, you could use the four-finger measure for authenticity.
