Cocktail for This Week: The Patiala Peg – Recipe
Tale has it that during 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was determined that his team would triumph over a touring English squad. For a competitive edge, he organized a splendid party the night before the match, at which he served his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These were notoriously generous four-finger whisky servings, customarily poured from little finger to forefinger. Predictably, the English players overindulged, leaving them very the worse for wear and, inevitably, vanquished the following day. Thus, the legend of the Patiala peg came to be.
This inspired variation of Old Fashioned cocktail takes its cue from the Maharaja's concoction. At the restaurant, we offer it from a specially crafted large-format bottle, but we've adapted the recipe to make it better suited for a household environment.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Yields 1 litre, to serve 10-12 portions.
You Will Need
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Method
Combine everything in a big container. Add 130g water, stir to combine, then put it in the refrigerator. It can be stored for up to 21 days.
When ready to drink, dispense roughly 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a rocks glass containing ice (preferably one large cube). Drink straight away. For a traditional touch, you could measure it in by hand as they did.
