Cocktail This Week: The Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It
Legend claims that back in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was adamant that his team would succeed over a touring English side. To secure an advantage, he organized a splendid party the night before the match, where he offered his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These are incredibly substantial four-finger measure whisky pours, traditionally gauged from little finger to index finger. Unsurprisingly, the English players drank too much, resulting in them being terribly the worse for wear and, inevitably, vanquished the day after. Thus, the myth of the Patiala peg was born.
This Punjabi spin on the old fashioned draws inspiration from that original concoction. At the restaurant, we offer it from a custom-made five-litre bottle, but we've adapted the formula to make it easier for a home setting.
Patiala Peg
Makes 1 litre, serving 10-12 people.
You Will Need
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g sugar syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch 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 fridge. You can store it for about a few weeks.
When ready to drink, pour approximately 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a short glass containing ice (preferably one big block). Enjoy straight away. For a traditional touch, you could use the four-finger measure instead.
