Cocktail This Week: The Patiala Peg – How to Make It
Folklore has it that back in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was adamant that his cricket team would win over a visiting English side. To gain the upper hand, he hosted a lavish party on the eve of the match, at which he served his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These are notoriously large four-finger whisky servings, historically gauged from pinky to forefinger. Unsurprisingly, the English players drank too much, leaving them terribly the worse for wear and, consequently, vanquished the following day. And so, the story of the Patiala peg was born.
This inspired variation of old fashioned takes its cue from the Maharaja's drink. In our establishment, we serve it from a bespoke five-litre bottle, but we've adapted the formula to make it easier for a household setting.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Yields 1 litre, serving 10-12 drinks.
What's Required
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A dash of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Instructions
Put everything in a large bottle. Include 130g water, stir until fully incorporated, then put it in the refrigerator. You can store it for as long as a few weeks.
For serving, measure out about 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a short glass packed with ice (preferably one big block). Drink promptly. To honour tradition, you could pour it using your fingers instead.
