Cocktail of the Week: The Patiala Peg – Recipe
Folklore claims that during 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was adamant that his cricket team would win over a touring English team. To gain the upper hand, he threw a splendid party the night before the match, at which he served his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These are incredibly large four-finger measure whisky pours, traditionally gauged from little finger to index finger. Predictably, the English players overindulged, leaving them very the worse for wear and, consequently, defeated the day after. And so, the story of the Patiala peg was born.
This inspired kind-of Old Fashioned cocktail takes its cue from Singh's drink. In our establishment, we present it from a specially crafted five-litre bottle, but we've adjusted the formula to make it easier for a domestic environment.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Makes 1 litre, enough for 10-12 portions.
What's Required
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g sugar syrup
- 6g Angostura bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A dash of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Instructions
Put everything in a sizeable jug. Add 130g water, agitate to combine, then place it in the fridge. It can be stored for about three weeks.
When ready to drink, pour roughly 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a rocks glass containing ice (traditionally one large cube). Drink promptly. For a traditional touch, you could measure it in by hand instead.
