Drink of the Week: The Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It
Tale claims that in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was determined that his cricket team would triumph over a touring English side. To secure an advantage, he hosted a grand party the night before the match, at which he served his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These were notoriously generous four-finger whisky pours, historically measured from pinky to forefinger. Predictably, the English players overindulged, resulting in them being very the worse for wear and, inevitably, beaten the next day. Thus, the story of the Patiala peg originated.
This inspired variation of old fashioned draws inspiration from Singh's concoction. At the restaurant, we offer it from a bespoke five-litre bottle, but we've modified the formula to make it more suitable for a domestic setting.
Patiala Peg
Produces 1 litre, to serve 10-12 drinks.
What's Required
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Preparation
Put everything in a sizeable jug. Pour in 130g water, stir thoroughly, then place it in the fridge. You can store it for as long as three weeks.
When ready to drink, pour approximately 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a old fashioned glass packed with ice (ideally one large cube). Enjoy immediately. For a traditional touch, you could measure it in by hand for authenticity.
