Cocktail for This Week: The Patiala Peg – How to Make It
Legend has it that back in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was adamant that his team would triumph over a touring English side. To secure an advantage, he hosted a splendid party the night before the match, where he offered his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These are notoriously large four-finger whisky pours, historically measured from little finger to index finger. As expected, the English players partook excessively, leaving them very hungover and, consequently, defeated the following day. Thus, the legend of the Patiala peg originated.
This take on a spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail is inspired by the Maharaja's concoction. At the restaurant, we serve it from a bespoke large-format bottle, but we've adapted the formula to make it better suited for a home environment.
Patiala Peg
Yields 1 litre, to serve 10-12 people.
You Will Need
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Preparation
Combine everything in a big container. Include 130g water, agitate until fully incorporated, then put it in the refrigerator. It can be stored for up to 21 days.
To serve, pour about 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a rocks glass filled with ice (traditionally one large cube). Drink straight away. For a traditional touch, you could measure it in by hand as they did.
