Drink for This Week: The Patiala Peg Cocktail – Recipe
Legend suggests that in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was set that his cricket team would win over a touring English team. For a competitive edge, he organized a lavish party the night before the match, at which he offered his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These are incredibly substantial four-finger measure whisky servings, traditionally gauged from pinky to index finger. As expected, the English players partook excessively, leaving them very hungover and, inevitably, vanquished the following day. Thus, the legend of the Patiala peg came to be.
This inspired spin on the old fashioned takes its cue from that original drink. Here, we offer it from a specially crafted large-format bottle, but we've modified the formula to make it better suited for a home kitchen.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Makes 1 litre, to serve 10-12 people.
What's Required
- 725g Scotch whisky blend
- 130g sugar syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Preparation
Combine all the ingredients in a large bottle. Include 130g water, agitate to combine, then place it in the refrigerator. It will now keep for as long as 21 days.
When ready to drink, pour about 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a old fashioned glass filled with ice (traditionally one big block). Drink immediately. For a traditional touch, you could measure it in by hand instead.
