Cocktail for This Week: The Patiala Peg – Recipe
Legend claims that back in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was determined that his cricket team would win over a touring English squad. For a competitive edge, he organized a grand party on the eve of the match, at which he presented his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These were incredibly substantial four-finger measure whisky pours, historically measured from little finger to index finger. Predictably, the English players overindulged, resulting in them being extremely hungover and, inevitably, defeated the following day. And so, the story of the Patiala peg was born.
This take on a kind-of old fashioned draws inspiration from Singh's beverage. In our establishment, we present it from a bespoke large-format bottle, but we've adjusted the formula to make it easier for a household environment.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Makes 1 litre, to serve 10-12 drinks.
What's Required
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g sugar syrup
- 6g Angostura bitters (approximately 1â…“ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (about â…• tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Instructions
Combine all the ingredients in a large bottle. Add 130g water, stir until fully incorporated, then transfer it in the fridge. You can store it for as long as 21 days.
To serve, measure out roughly 90ml of the infused whisky into a old fashioned glass containing ice (preferably one big block). Drink immediately. If you're feeling traditional, you could measure it in by hand as they did.
