Cocktail This Week: The Patiala Peg Cocktail – Recipe
Folklore claims that during 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was adamant that his team would win over a touring English squad. To gain the upper hand, he threw a grand party on the eve of the match, at which he presented his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These are notoriously generous four-finger measure whisky servings, historically gauged from little finger to index finger. As expected, the English players partook excessively, leaving them very hungover and, consequently, vanquished the following day. And so, the legend of the Patiala peg was born.
This inspired spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail draws inspiration from the Maharaja's concoction. Here, we present it from a specially crafted five-litre bottle, but we've adapted the instructions to make it easier for a home kitchen.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Makes 1 litre, serving 10-12 people.
What's Required
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A dash of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Preparation
Combine all the ingredients in a big container. Pour in 130g water, stir until fully incorporated, then transfer it in the fridge. It can be stored for about a few weeks.
For serving, dispense approximately 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a rocks glass filled with ice (ideally one large cube). Serve straight away. To honour tradition, you could pour it using your fingers instead.
