Cocktail of the Week: The Patiala Peg – Recipe
Folklore suggests that in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was determined that his team would triumph over a touring English squad. To secure an advantage, he organized a splendid party the night before the match, where he presented his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These were famously generous four-finger measure whisky pours, historically measured from pinky to forefinger. Unsurprisingly, the English players partook excessively, resulting in them being very the worse for wear and, consequently, beaten the following day. In this way, the story of the Patiala peg originated.
This Punjabi kind-of old fashioned draws inspiration from the Maharaja's beverage. At the restaurant, we serve it from a bespoke five-litre bottle, but we've adapted the formula to make it more suitable for a domestic environment.
Patiala Peg
Produces 1 litre, to serve 10-12 drinks.
You Will Need
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g sugar syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A dash of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Method
Place everything in a big container. Include 130g water, stir until fully incorporated, then put it in the refrigerator. It can be stored for up to a few weeks.
For serving, dispense about 90ml of the infused whisky into a short glass packed with ice (preferably one big block). Drink straight away. To honour tradition, you could pour it using your fingers for authenticity.
