Cocktail This Week: The Patiala Peg Cocktail – Recipe
Legend claims that back in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was determined that his cricket team would triumph over a touring English team. To secure an advantage, he hosted a grand party on the eve of the match, where he offered his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These were notoriously generous four-finger measure whisky servings, traditionally poured from little finger to index finger. As expected, the English players partook excessively, resulting in them being extremely hungover and, consequently, vanquished the day after. And so, the legend of the Patiala peg originated.
This Punjabi spin on the old fashioned is inspired by that original beverage. Here, we present it from a custom-made five-litre bottle, but we've modified the formula to make it more suitable for a household environment.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Yields 1 litre, serving 10-12 people.
You Will Need
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A dash of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Instructions
Put everything in a large bottle. Pour in 130g water, stir until fully incorporated, then place it in the fridge. It will now keep for up to three weeks.
For serving, dispense about 90ml of the infused whisky into a short glass packed with ice (traditionally one big block). Serve immediately. To honour tradition, you could pour it using your fingers for authenticity.
