Cocktail of the Week: The Patiala Peg Cocktail – Recipe
Legend has it that during 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was set that his cricket team would succeed over a visiting English squad. For a competitive edge, he hosted a lavish party on the eve of the match, where he presented his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These are notoriously large four-finger whisky pours, customarily gauged from pinky to index finger. Unsurprisingly, the English players partook excessively, leaving them extremely the worse for wear and, inevitably, defeated the day after. And so, the myth of the Patiala peg was born.
This Punjabi kind-of old fashioned is inspired by that original beverage. At the restaurant, we present it from a custom-made large-format bottle, but we've adjusted the instructions to make it better suited for a household setting.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Produces 1 litre, enough for 10-12 drinks.
What's Required
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g sugar syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Preparation
Place everything in a sizeable jug. Add 130g water, stir until fully incorporated, then transfer it in the refrigerator. You can store it for about 21 days.
For serving, dispense roughly 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a short glass filled with ice (ideally one large cube). Serve immediately. For a traditional touch, you could measure it in by hand instead.
