Cocktail This Week: The Patiala Peg – Recipe
Legend has it that back in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was adamant that his team would win over a touring English squad. To gain the upper hand, he threw a lavish party the night before the match, at which he offered his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These were incredibly large four-finger whisky servings, traditionally gauged from pinky to forefinger. Predictably, the English players partook excessively, leaving them extremely the worse for wear and, inevitably, defeated the following day. In this way, the myth of the Patiala peg was born.
This inspired spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail draws inspiration from that original beverage. In our establishment, we serve it from a specially crafted large-format bottle, but we've adapted the recipe to make it easier for a household setting.
Patiala Peg
Produces 1 litre, enough for 10-12 people.
You Will Need
- 725g Scotch whisky blend
- 130g sugar syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Preparation
Combine all the ingredients in a big container. Pour in 130g water, stir to combine, then transfer it in the refrigerator. It can be stored for about 21 days.
To serve, pour approximately 90ml of the infused whisky into a short glass filled with ice (preferably one big block). Drink promptly. To honour tradition, you could pour it using your fingers instead.
