Cocktail of the Week: The Patiala Peg Cocktail – Recipe
Tale has it that during 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was adamant that his cricket team would triumph over a visiting English squad. For a competitive edge, he hosted a grand party on the eve of the match, at which he offered his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These were incredibly generous four-finger whisky pours, traditionally poured from little finger to index finger. Predictably, the English players drank too much, leaving them extremely hungover and, inevitably, vanquished the following day. Thus, the myth of the Patiala peg came to be.
This Punjabi kind-of old fashioned is inspired by the Maharaja's beverage. In our establishment, we present it from a specially crafted five-litre bottle, but we've modified the formula to make it easier for a domestic setting.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Produces 1 litre, to serve 10-12 portions.
What's Required
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g sugar syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Preparation
Combine everything in a large bottle. Pour in 130g water, mix until fully incorporated, then transfer it in the fridge. It will now keep for about 21 days.
To serve, measure out approximately 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a old fashioned glass packed with ice (preferably one big block). Drink promptly. If you're feeling traditional, you could pour it using your fingers as they did.
