Cocktail This Week: The Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It
Folklore has it that in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was determined that his team would win over a visiting English team. For a competitive edge, he organized a lavish party on the eve of the match, at which he served his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These are incredibly large four-finger whisky pours, historically poured from pinky to index finger. Predictably, the English players overindulged, leaving them very hungover and, inevitably, defeated the next day. Thus, the story of the Patiala peg was born.
This inspired variation of old fashioned takes its cue from the Maharaja's concoction. In our establishment, we offer it from a bespoke large-format bottle, but we've adjusted the formula to make it easier for a home kitchen.
Patiala Peg
Yields 1 litre, serving 10-12 drinks.
What's Required
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A dash of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Method
Put everything in a large bottle. Pour in 130g water, agitate to combine, then place it in the refrigerator. You can store it for up to three weeks.
For serving, measure out roughly 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a short glass packed with ice (preferably one big block). Enjoy promptly. If you're feeling traditional, you could use the four-finger measure as they did.
