Drink of the Week: The Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It
Folklore claims that back in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was adamant that his cricket team would succeed over a touring English side. To secure an advantage, he hosted a lavish party the night before the match, at which he offered his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These are incredibly generous four-finger whisky pours, traditionally measured from little finger to forefinger. As expected, the English players overindulged, leaving them very the worse for wear and, consequently, beaten the following day. And so, the legend of the Patiala peg was born.
This Punjabi spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail is inspired by that original beverage. In our establishment, we offer it from a specially crafted large-format bottle, but we've adjusted the instructions 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 whisky
- 130g sugar syrup
- 6g Angostura bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Preparation
Place all the ingredients in a large bottle. Pour in 130g water, agitate to combine, then transfer it in the fridge. It can be stored for about a few weeks.
When ready to drink, pour approximately 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a old fashioned glass packed with ice (preferably one large cube). Drink promptly. If you're feeling traditional, you could use the four-finger measure for authenticity.
