Drink for This Week: The Patiala Peg – Recipe
Tale suggests that in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was determined that his cricket team would win 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 notorious Patiala pegs. These were notoriously substantial four-finger measure whisky pours, traditionally measured from pinky to index finger. Predictably, the English players drank too much, resulting in them being very hungover and, consequently, defeated the next day. And so, the legend of the Patiala peg was born.
This inspired spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail is inspired by the Maharaja's concoction. At the restaurant, we present it from a custom-made five-litre bottle, but we've adjusted the formula to make it more suitable for a household environment.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Produces 1 litre, enough for 10-12 portions.
What's Required
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g sugar syrup
- 6g Angostura bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Method
Combine everything in a big container. Include 130g water, mix thoroughly, then place it in the refrigerator. It will now keep for as long as a few weeks.
For serving, pour roughly 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a short glass packed with ice (traditionally one large cube). Enjoy promptly. If you're feeling traditional, you could use the four-finger measure as they did.