Cocktail This Week: The Patiala Peg – Recipe
Tale claims that in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was adamant that his team would win over a touring English squad. For a competitive edge, he hosted a grand party the night before the match, where he served his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These were notoriously generous four-finger whisky servings, historically gauged from little finger to index finger. Predictably, the English players overindulged, resulting in them being terribly the worse for wear and, inevitably, beaten the following day. And so, the story of the Patiala peg was born.
This inspired variation of old fashioned draws inspiration from Singh's drink. In our establishment, we offer it from a custom-made large-format bottle, but we've modified the instructions to make it more suitable for a domestic environment.
Patiala Peg
Produces 1 litre, enough for 10-12 people.
You Will Need
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Method
Put all the ingredients in a big container. Add 130g water, agitate thoroughly, then transfer it in the fridge. It will now keep for up to 21 days.
To serve, measure out approximately 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a old fashioned glass packed with ice (preferably one big block). Enjoy straight away. If you're feeling traditional, you could pour it using your fingers instead.
