Cocktail for This Week: The Patiala Peg – How to Make It
Tale suggests that during 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was set that his team would succeed over a visiting English team. To secure an advantage, he organized a lavish party the night before the match, where he offered his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These were famously substantial four-finger whisky servings, customarily measured from pinky to forefinger. As expected, the English players overindulged, resulting in them being terribly hungover and, consequently, beaten the day after. And so, the legend of the Patiala peg was born.
This take on a kind-of Old Fashioned cocktail takes its cue from the Maharaja's drink. Here, we serve it from a bespoke large-format bottle, but we've adapted the instructions to make it better suited for a domestic setting.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Makes 1 litre, enough for 10-12 drinks.
What's Required
- 725g Scotch whisky blend
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1â…“ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (approximately â…• tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Preparation
Put everything in a big container. Pour in 130g water, agitate thoroughly, then put it in the refrigerator. It can be stored for about a few weeks.
For serving, measure out about 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a old fashioned glass containing ice (preferably one large cube). Drink promptly. For a traditional touch, you could pour it using your fingers for authenticity.
