Cocktail of the Week: The Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It
Folklore has it that in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was set that his cricket team would triumph over a touring English side. To secure an advantage, he hosted a grand party the night before the match, where he offered his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These were famously large four-finger whisky pours, customarily measured from pinky to index finger. Unsurprisingly, the English players drank too much, leaving them extremely hungover and, consequently, beaten the following day. In this way, the legend of the Patiala peg originated.
This take on a kind-of Old Fashioned cocktail takes its cue from that original drink. Here, we serve it from a bespoke large-format bottle, but we've adapted the instructions to make it easier for a household kitchen.
Patiala Peg
Makes 1 litre, to serve 10-12 people.
What's Required
- 725g Scotch whisky blend
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Preparation
Place all the ingredients in a big container. Pour in 130g water, stir thoroughly, then transfer it in the refrigerator. It will now keep for about three weeks.
To serve, measure out about 90ml of the infused whisky into a rocks glass packed with ice (traditionally one big block). Serve immediately. If you're feeling traditional, you could measure it in by hand for authenticity.
