Cocktail of the Week: The Patiala Peg – Recipe
Folklore has it that back in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was set that his team would triumph over a visiting English side. To gain the upper hand, he hosted a grand party the night before the match, at which he offered his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These were incredibly large four-finger whisky pours, historically gauged from little finger to index finger. Unsurprisingly, the English players partook excessively, resulting in them being very hungover and, inevitably, defeated the following day. And so, the story of the Patiala peg originated.
This inspired variation of old fashioned takes its cue from that original beverage. Here, we present it from a specially crafted five-litre bottle, but we've adapted the recipe to make it better suited for a domestic environment.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Produces 1 litre, serving 10-12 drinks.
You Will Need
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Instructions
Place everything in a big container. Include 130g water, stir thoroughly, then place it in the fridge. You can store it for up to 21 days.
To serve, dispense approximately 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a rocks glass containing ice (preferably one large cube). Serve immediately. If you're feeling traditional, you could measure it in by hand for authenticity.
