Cocktail This Week: The Patiala Peg – How to Make It
Legend has it that back in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was determined that his cricket team would triumph over a touring English team. To gain the upper hand, he organized a lavish party on the eve of the match, at which he served his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These are famously substantial four-finger measure whisky pours, historically measured from little finger to forefinger. As expected, the English players drank too much, resulting in them being very the worse for wear and, consequently, beaten the next day. Thus, the myth of the Patiala peg came to be.
This inspired variation of old fashioned is inspired by that original concoction. Here, we present it from a bespoke large-format bottle, but we've adapted the instructions to make it easier for a home setting.
Patiala Peg
Yields 1 litre, to serve 10-12 portions.
You Will Need
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Method
Place everything in a large bottle. Add 130g water, agitate to combine, then put it in the refrigerator. It will now keep for about 21 days.
To serve, measure out approximately 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a short glass packed with ice (traditionally one large cube). Serve promptly. For a traditional touch, you could pour it using your fingers for authenticity.
