Drink This Week: The Patiala Peg Cocktail – Recipe
Legend claims that during 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was determined that his team would succeed over a visiting English team. For a competitive edge, he hosted a lavish party on the eve of the match, where he served his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These are famously substantial four-finger whisky servings, historically gauged from pinky to index finger. Unsurprisingly, the English players drank too much, leaving them extremely hungover and, inevitably, beaten the next day. And so, the myth of the Patiala peg was born.
This Punjabi kind-of old fashioned takes its cue from Singh's concoction. In our establishment, we offer it from a specially crafted large-format bottle, but we've adjusted the recipe to make it easier for a domestic environment.
Patiala Peg
Produces 1 litre, enough for 10-12 drinks.
What's Required
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Method
Place everything in a large bottle. Include 130g water, stir until fully incorporated, then place it in the refrigerator. You can store it for up to 21 days.
When ready to drink, dispense about 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a old fashioned glass packed with ice (preferably one large cube). Serve immediately. For a traditional touch, you could pour it using your fingers as they did.