Cocktail for This Week: The Patiala Peg Cocktail – Recipe
Legend has it that during 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was set that his team would succeed over a visiting English team. For a competitive edge, he hosted a splendid party on the eve of the match, at which he presented his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These were famously substantial four-finger whisky pours, historically measured from little finger to forefinger. Unsurprisingly, the English players partook excessively, resulting in them being extremely the worse for wear and, consequently, defeated the next day. Thus, the story of the Patiala peg was born.
This inspired kind-of old fashioned draws inspiration from that original drink. In our establishment, we offer it from a bespoke five-litre bottle, but we've adjusted the formula to make it better suited for a domestic setting.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Yields 1 litre, serving 10-12 portions.
Ingredients
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Method
Place everything in a sizeable jug. Include 130g water, mix to combine, then put it in the refrigerator. It can be stored for up to three weeks.
To serve, pour approximately 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a short glass filled with ice (traditionally one big block). Drink promptly. For a traditional touch, you could use the four-finger measure for authenticity.
