Drink of the Week: The Patiala Peg – How to Make It
Legend has it that during 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was set that his team would succeed over a touring English side. For a competitive edge, he threw a grand party the night before the match, where he served his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These were famously large four-finger whisky servings, traditionally poured from pinky to forefinger. Unsurprisingly, the English players partook excessively, leaving them extremely the worse for wear and, inevitably, beaten the day after. In this way, the story of the Patiala peg was born.
This Punjabi kind-of Old Fashioned cocktail takes its cue from that original drink. At the restaurant, we offer it from a specially crafted five-litre bottle, but we've adapted the recipe to make it easier for a home environment.
Patiala Peg
Produces 1 litre, to serve 10-12 portions.
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 dash of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Instructions
Combine everything in a big container. Include 130g water, agitate until fully incorporated, then place it in the refrigerator. You can store it for about a few weeks.
To serve, measure out about 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a old fashioned glass containing ice (ideally one large cube). Drink straight away. For a traditional touch, you could use the four-finger measure as they did.
