Cocktail This Week: The Patiala Peg – Recipe
Folklore suggests that in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was set that his team would succeed over a visiting English side. For a competitive edge, he threw a grand party on the eve of the match, at which he offered his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These are notoriously large four-finger measure whisky servings, traditionally measured from pinky to forefinger. Predictably, the English players partook excessively, leaving them very hungover and, consequently, vanquished the next day. And so, the story of the Patiala peg came to be.
This take on a variation of old fashioned takes its cue from Singh's beverage. Here, we present it from a bespoke five-litre bottle, but we've adjusted the instructions to make it more suitable for a domestic environment.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Makes 1 litre, to serve 10-12 people.
What's Required
- 725g Scotch whisky blend
- 130g sugar syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Method
Place everything in a big container. Include 130g water, mix until fully incorporated, then place it in the fridge. It can be stored for up to a few weeks.
For serving, measure out approximately 90ml of the infused whisky into a short glass packed with ice (preferably one big block). Serve immediately. For a traditional touch, you could pour it using your fingers instead.
