Drink of the Week: The Patiala Peg – Recipe
Folklore suggests that during 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was determined that his cricket team would succeed over a touring English team. To secure an advantage, he hosted a lavish party on the eve of the match, where he presented his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These are notoriously large four-finger whisky servings, historically measured from pinky to index finger. Predictably, the English players overindulged, leaving them terribly hungover and, inevitably, defeated the following day. Thus, the legend of the Patiala peg was born.
This take on a kind-of Old Fashioned cocktail is inspired by that original beverage. Here, we offer it from a custom-made large-format bottle, but we've modified the formula to make it easier for a home environment.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Yields 1 litre, to serve 10-12 drinks.
You Will Need
- 725g Scotch whisky blend
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Method
Put everything in a large bottle. Add 130g water, mix until fully incorporated, then place it in the fridge. It will now keep for as long as a few weeks.
When ready to drink, dispense approximately 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a old fashioned glass containing ice (preferably one large cube). Serve promptly. If you're feeling traditional, you could measure it in by hand for authenticity.
