Drink of the Week: The Patiala Peg Cocktail – Recipe
Tale suggests that during 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was determined that his cricket team would triumph over a touring English side. To secure an advantage, he organized a lavish party on the eve of the match, at which he offered his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These were notoriously large four-finger whisky servings, traditionally poured from little finger to index finger. Predictably, the English players overindulged, leaving them very hungover and, consequently, beaten the following day. Thus, the myth of the Patiala peg originated.
This take on a kind-of Old Fashioned cocktail is inspired by Singh's beverage. At the restaurant, we serve it from a bespoke large-format bottle, but we've adapted the recipe to make it better suited for a home kitchen.
Patiala Peg
Produces 1 litre, serving 10-12 portions.
You Will Need
- 725g Scotch whisky blend
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Instructions
Combine all the ingredients in a large bottle. Include 130g water, mix until fully incorporated, then put it in the fridge. It can be stored for about 21 days.
When ready to drink, pour roughly 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a short glass filled with ice (preferably one big block). Enjoy straight away. If you're feeling traditional, you could measure it in by hand as they did.
