Drink for This Week: The Patiala Peg – How to Make It
Tale has it that back in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was determined that his team would succeed over a visiting English side. To secure an advantage, he hosted a grand party on the eve of the match, where he presented his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These are incredibly large four-finger measure whisky pours, traditionally poured from pinky to index finger. Unsurprisingly, the English players partook excessively, leaving them terribly hungover and, inevitably, beaten the day after. Thus, the myth of the Patiala peg was born.
This inspired variation of Old Fashioned cocktail takes its cue from the Maharaja's beverage. At the restaurant, we offer it from a specially crafted large-format bottle, but we've adapted the formula to make it more suitable for a household kitchen.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Yields 1 litre, to serve 10-12 portions.
You Will Need
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g sugar syrup
- 6g Angostura bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A dash of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Instructions
Combine all the ingredients in a sizeable jug. Pour in 130g water, agitate thoroughly, then place it in the fridge. It will now keep for as long as a few weeks.
When ready to drink, pour approximately 90ml of the infused whisky into a old fashioned glass filled with ice (ideally one large cube). Enjoy promptly. To honour tradition, you could pour it using your fingers for authenticity.
