Cocktail for This Week: The Patiala Peg – Recipe
Legend suggests that during 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was determined that his team would win over a visiting English team. To gain the upper hand, he threw a splendid party the night before the match, where he served his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These were incredibly generous four-finger whisky servings, historically measured from pinky to forefinger. Unsurprisingly, the English players overindulged, leaving them very the worse for wear and, inevitably, beaten the next day. And so, the story of the Patiala peg came to be.
This Punjabi variation of Old Fashioned cocktail draws inspiration from Singh's concoction. At the restaurant, we offer it from a specially crafted large-format bottle, but we've modified the instructions to make it better suited for a home setting.
Patiala Peg
Yields 1 litre, enough for 10-12 people.
What's Required
- 725g Scotch whisky blend
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A dash of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Instructions
Put all the ingredients in a large bottle. Include 130g water, stir to combine, then put it in the refrigerator. It can be stored for as long as three weeks.
When ready to drink, dispense approximately 90ml of the infused whisky into a short glass containing ice (preferably one large cube). Enjoy promptly. For a traditional touch, you could measure it in by hand instead.
