Cocktail This Week: The Patiala Peg – How to Make It
Legend suggests that in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was determined that his cricket team would succeed over a touring English side. To gain the upper hand, he threw a grand party the night before the match, where he presented his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These were famously substantial four-finger measure whisky pours, traditionally poured from pinky to forefinger. As expected, the English players overindulged, leaving them extremely hungover and, inevitably, vanquished the following day. Thus, the myth of the Patiala peg came to be.
This take on a kind-of Old Fashioned cocktail draws inspiration from that original drink. At the restaurant, we offer it from a custom-made five-litre bottle, but we've modified the instructions to make it more suitable for a home kitchen.
Patiala Peg
Makes 1 litre, to serve 10-12 portions.
You Will Need
- 725g Scotch whisky blend
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Instructions
Combine everything in a sizeable jug. Add 130g water, stir until fully incorporated, then transfer it in the refrigerator. You can store it for about a few weeks.
When ready to drink, dispense about 90ml of the infused whisky into a old fashioned glass packed with ice (ideally one large cube). Serve immediately. If you're feeling traditional, you could pour it using your fingers instead.
