Cocktail This Week: The Patiala Peg – How to Make It
Legend suggests that back in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was adamant that his cricket team would triumph over a touring English side. To gain the upper hand, he threw a lavish party on the eve of the match, where he served his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These were famously generous four-finger whisky servings, customarily poured from little finger to index finger. As expected, the English players overindulged, resulting in them being terribly the worse for wear and, consequently, defeated the day after. Thus, the story of the Patiala peg was born.
This inspired variation of old fashioned takes its cue from the Maharaja's drink. In our establishment, we serve it from a custom-made large-format bottle, but we've adapted the formula to make it easier for a household environment.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Makes 1 litre, enough for 10-12 portions.
You Will Need
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g sugar syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Preparation
Combine all the ingredients in a sizeable jug. Include 130g water, stir to combine, then place it in the fridge. You can store it for as long as 21 days.
When ready to drink, dispense approximately 90ml of the infused whisky into a old fashioned glass containing ice (traditionally one large cube). Enjoy immediately. If you're feeling traditional, you could pour it using your fingers as they did.
