Cocktail of the Week: The Patiala Peg – How to Make It
Tale claims that back in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was adamant that his team would win over a touring English squad. For a competitive edge, he organized a lavish party the night before the match, at which he presented his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These were incredibly large four-finger measure whisky pours, historically poured from pinky to forefinger. Unsurprisingly, the English players overindulged, leaving them very hungover and, consequently, beaten the next day. And so, the myth of the Patiala peg originated.
This Punjabi spin on the old fashioned takes its cue from the Maharaja's concoction. Here, we serve it from a custom-made large-format bottle, but we've modified the recipe to make it better suited for a home kitchen.
Patiala Peg
Produces 1 litre, serving 10-12 people.
What's Required
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Preparation
Combine everything in a sizeable jug. Include 130g water, agitate until fully incorporated, then transfer it in the fridge. It can be stored for up to three weeks.
For serving, pour about 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a old fashioned glass filled with ice (preferably one large cube). Drink promptly. To honour tradition, you could pour it using your fingers as they did.