Drink for This Week: The Patiala Peg – Recipe
Folklore claims that during 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was adamant that his team would win over a touring English team. To gain the upper hand, he threw a splendid party the night before the match, where he offered his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These are notoriously large four-finger measure whisky pours, customarily measured from little finger to index finger. As expected, the English players overindulged, leaving them very the worse for wear and, inevitably, defeated the day after. Thus, the story of the Patiala peg originated.
This take on a kind-of Old Fashioned cocktail is inspired by the Maharaja's concoction. At the restaurant, we offer it from a bespoke five-litre bottle, but we've adapted the formula to make it easier for a domestic kitchen.
Patiala Peg
Yields 1 litre, serving 10-12 people.
What's Required
- 725g Scotch whisky blend
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Method
Put everything in a big container. Add 130g water, agitate until fully incorporated, then place it in the refrigerator. It will now keep for up to 21 days.
When ready to drink, measure out roughly 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a old fashioned glass packed with ice (ideally one big block). Enjoy straight away. If you're feeling traditional, you could use the four-finger measure as they did.
