Drink for This Week: The Patiala Peg – How to Make It
Folklore suggests that during 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was adamant that his cricket team would win over a touring English squad. To secure an advantage, he threw a grand party on the eve of the match, where he served his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These are famously generous four-finger whisky pours, customarily poured from little finger to index finger. Predictably, the English players overindulged, leaving them terribly hungover and, consequently, defeated the next day. In this way, the legend of the Patiala peg came to be.
This inspired spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail is inspired by the Maharaja's drink. At the restaurant, we offer it from a custom-made large-format bottle, but we've adjusted the recipe to make it easier for a household setting.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Makes 1 litre, serving 10-12 people.
Ingredients
- 725g Scotch whisky blend
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Preparation
Put everything in a big container. Add 130g water, stir until fully incorporated, then put it in the fridge. It will now keep for up to 21 days.
For serving, measure out about 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a old fashioned glass packed with ice (traditionally one big block). Serve promptly. If you're feeling traditional, you could pour it using your fingers as they did.
