Drink of the Week: The Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It
Folklore suggests that during 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was adamant that his team would triumph over a visiting English squad. For a competitive edge, he threw a grand party the night before the match, where he served his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These are incredibly generous four-finger measure whisky servings, historically gauged from little finger to index finger. Predictably, the English players partook excessively, leaving them extremely the worse for wear and, inevitably, defeated the following day. And so, the story of the Patiala peg came to be.
This inspired variation of old fashioned is inspired by Singh's beverage. At the restaurant, we offer it from a bespoke large-format bottle, but we've modified the instructions to make it more suitable for a household kitchen.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Yields 1 litre, serving 10-12 portions.
You Will Need
- 725g Scotch whisky blend
- 130g sugar syrup
- 6g Angostura bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A dash of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Instructions
Put all the ingredients in a big container. Include 130g water, stir to combine, then place it in the refrigerator. It will now keep for about three weeks.
To serve, dispense approximately 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a short glass containing ice (ideally one large cube). Serve promptly. If you're feeling traditional, you could use the four-finger measure for authenticity.
